


Bi-Line

by justanotherbusyfangirl



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bisexual Dean Winchester, Coming Out, Coming of Age, F/M, Journalist Castiel, Journalist Dean, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-09
Updated: 2017-11-09
Packaged: 2019-01-17 13:28:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 31,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12366750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanotherbusyfangirl/pseuds/justanotherbusyfangirl
Summary: Dean and Cas are co-editors of their school newspaper their senior year. When Dean begins an anonymous column in the paper, Bi-Line, discussing his life as a bisexual teen, will Cas figure out it’s him? Will he come out to his friends and family? When his feelings about Cas change, will he be brave enough to show Cas the real him?author: just-another-busy-fangirlartist: koisockshttp://koisocks.tumblr.com/post/167301800881/title-bi-line-author-justanotherbusyfangirl





	1. Prologue

_ It’s been such a wonderful summer.  So many things have happened, all stemming from my ability to get away from my hometown for a while. _

_ I’m not saying that I don’t love where I live – Lawrence is a great place with amazing people.  I’ve got awesome friends and family there. _

_ But sometimes you just have to get away, figure out exactly who you are, away from any and all expectations. _

_ That’s what I was able to do this summer.  _

_ It was the perfect summer for it to happen, too: summer before my senior year of high school.  Perfect time for me to figure out who I am. _

_ Who I  _ **really** _ am. _

_ I got a job at a summer camp, spending hours on the lake every day lifeguarding.  Got pretty tan – looks great, if I do say so myself. _

_ It was what happened at night that changed my world. _

_ The first week or so, I started hanging out with one of the girl lifeguards, Megan.  She was gorgeous – long, brown hair that ran all the way down her back, petite frame that I could move just where I wanted.  Hilarious, made me laugh so hard I snorted soda out of my nose.  Didn’t take long for us to hook up, and I thought I had it made.  A summer of hooking up with this incredibly hot, funny girl?  Golden. _

_ Then she introduced me to her twin brother, Matt.  He was the guy version of her, except instead of petite, he was tall and lean.  He wasn’t a lifeguard, but worked at the archery range.  One night she brought me to visit him there, and he showed me how to shoot. _

_ I don’t know what brought it on, but I couldn’t make myself look away from the muscles straining in his arms as he held that bow. _

_ Megan noticed me watching Matt, and after a few nights of the three of us hanging out, she brought out the alcohol. _

_ Spin the bottle, she said.  It’d be fun, she said.  Before I could tell her it was weird that she might have to kiss her own twin, she’d spun and it landed on me.  As if Matt wasn’t even there, Megan climbed on my lap, kissing me within an inch of my life.  I forgot the awkwardness of her brother being in the room as I got lost in the taste of her lips, chasing them when she began to pull away. _

_ Your turn, she’d said, holding the bottle out to me. _

_ Still dazed by our kiss, I didn’t even think before I spun it. _

_ It landed on Matt. _

_ He and I locked eyes for a minute, and I thought he’d crack some joke and turn away, but he didn’t. _

_ Slower than Megan had done, Matt crawled over to me, his every move making my heart beat faster.  He stopped when our faces were only an inch apart, his eyes looking down at my lips. _

_ I couldn’t help myself – I closed the distance and kissed him. _

_ I kissed a guy for the first time in my life. _

_ Matt and I didn’t even notice when Megan left us alone, we were so busy making out.  It was strange, but also very  _ **not** _ strange, kissing a guy. _

_ Sure, there was some stubble on his cheeks, and his body wasn’t quite as plump to hold on to as girls I’d kissed, but rather lean and strong. _

_ But that made my stomach flip-flop the exact same way it flip-flopped when I had a soft girl’s body next to me as well. _

_ Let’s just say that Matt and I got along great all summer long, learning about each other and ourselves in the process. _

_ Megan and I got along great on the other nights, too. _

_ It wasn’t until a week before camp was over, just two weeks before I would be starting my senior year back in Lawrence, that the three of us sat down together again.  I brought it up first. _

_ What was going on with me?  I asked them.  I’d never felt this way about a guy before, at least not that I had acted on.  I had never been so open in two different relationships…how was it possible that this felt so  _ **normal** ?

_ Megan was kind and helped me talk through my feelings – something that I  _ **never** _ do, no matter how many times my brother back home wanted me to open up to him.  _

_ We came to a conclusion, and that conclusion made the weight of the world lift off my shoulders. _

_ I’m a bisexual man.  I am attracted to guys and girls, enjoy spending time with guys and girls physically, have emotional connections to guys and girls. _

_ I am a bisexual man and I’m damn proud of it. _

_ Am I nervous to start my senior year with this new realization about myself?  Hell yes.  _

_ Do I have a plan of how I want to come out, test the waters, get my friends and family warmed up to the idea before I lay it all on them?  _

_ I surely do.  I have the greatest plan ever. _


	2. First Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas are co-editors of their school newspaper their senior year. When Dean begins an anonymous column in the paper, Bi-Line, discussing his life as a bisexual teen, will Cas figure out it’s him? Will he come out to his friends and family? When his feelings about Cas change, will he be brave enough to show Cas the real him?
> 
> author: just-another-busy-fangirl  
> artist: koisocks

First day of senior year.

That’s what Dean’s alarm clock felt like it was yelling at him as he stretched, rolling out of bed to get ready for his day.  He was bleary eyed as he showered, threw clothes on, and headed downstairs.  He ruffled Sam’s hair as he passed him in the kitchen, making his brother swat at his hand.

“Hey!  Don’t do that!” Sam humphed, making Dean laugh.

“What, did you have your hair all perfect for your first day of high school?” Dean teased, grabbing a piece of toast and stuffing half of it in his mouth.  Sam merely grunted in response, so Dean left the kitchen.

“Bye, Ma, bye, Dad!” Dean yelled as he headed for the front door, swinging his backpack onto his shoulder.

“Have a great last first day, sweetheart!” Mary replied from somewhere in the back of the house, probably making sure Sam’s lunch was packed properly.

Dean was out the door before he could respond.

He continued eating his toast as he walked down the block, glad that the first day of his senior year had such nice weather.  It was always a drag when the school year started with rain or blistering heat – it was perfect weather for the beginning of (hopefully) a great last year at Lawrence High School.

Dean crossed the street, finishing the last bite of his toast as he ran up the front steps of his best friend’s house, banging on the door before opening it.

“Morning!” he yelled through the house, hearing Mrs. Novak respond from the kitchen.

“Dean Winchester, is that you?” she called back as she walked through the doorway, smiling when she saw Dean putting his backpack down.  She gathered him in her arms, giving him a warm hug before putting him back at arm’s length.

“It’s been way too long, boy!” she reprimanded, brushing the nonexistent dirt off his shoulders.  “You can’t just go away for the whole summer and leave me here all alone!”

Dean grinned, hearing Cas coming down the stairs before he saw him.  “Ah, Mrs. Novak, I’m sure Cas and Gabe took great care of you.”

She patted his shoulder and smiled in response, turning away as Cas came into view.  Dean’s eyes raked over Cas’s form, suddenly regretting staying away for an entire summer.  Cas had obviously spent some time outside, as his skin was nearly as tanned as Dean’s.  He also seemed to have worked out some, as his arm muscles were slightly visible under his short sleeved button-up.

“Cas, man, it’s been too long,” Dean said, holding his hand out to shake Cas’s before gathering him in a one-armed bro hug. 

“Yeah, I know,” Cas replied as they hugged, his breath fanning over Dean’s neck as he spoke.  They pulled apart.  “Two months did you good,” he commented, looking Dean up and down.

“You, too,” Dean replied, and they were stuck staring at each other for a split second.

“No homo, right?” Gabriel said cheekily as he passed them on his way to the kitchen, making Cas follow closely to smack the back of his head.

The three boys barged into the kitchen, Dean grabbing a second piece of toast when Mrs. Novak offered it, Cas taking one as well.

“C’mon, man, we gotta go,” Dean said.  “Don’t wanna be late for the first day of senior year, right?”

Cas followed close behind him, the boys swinging their backpacks over their shoulders and heading out.  Mrs. Novak’s voice rang out behind them with a, “Good luck, boys!”

Dean and Cas fell into step easily, having done the walk from Cas’s house to LHS hundreds, if not thousands, of times before.  They joked as they walked, doing their best to catch each other up on their summers.

Dean regaled Cas of his months lifeguarding, telling Cas about all of the dumb things he had to save kids from in the lake.  He talked about the bonfires they’d had, the really bad food, and how the counselors had all gone to a small town to hang out on their nights off.

Cas told Dean about the yard work business he’d helped with, earning some money while also learning all about plants and flowers.  Dean teased him, but Cas insisted that it was hard work – that’s how his arm muscles had developed.

“You try to work a hoe into some of these solid Lawrence yards, Dean,” Cas said seriously.

Dean burst out laughing at that.  “Oh, I’ll work a hoe on any yard, Cas,” he responded, making Cas realize how he had sounded.

They were still laughing as they walked onto the school property, blending in to the mess of students pouring onto campus.  They said hi to almost everyone they passed; Lawrence was a small enough town that everyone knew everyone.  Most of their class had been going to school with each other since pre-k, making the whole place seem like one big family. 

Dean and Cas got in line to get their schedules, their guidance counselor smiling up at them as they approached. 

“Good morning, boys,” she said cheerily.  “Were your summers well?”

“Yes, ma’am,” they both replied politely, taking their schedules with a thank you before getting out of the way of the rest of the line.

Cas grabbed Dean’s schedule, comparing them.  “We only have newspaper and lunch together this year,” he lamented, showing Dean their schedules.

Dean’s stomach sunk a bit at that knowledge, seeing that while they had most of the same teachers, they were all different class periods of the day.

“Dude, that sucks,” Dean said.  “At least we start the day together in newspaper, and we’ve both got study hall last period of the day, which means we can leave early together.  Beginning, middle, and end, that breaks it up nicely.”

They both looked at their schedules once more, as if one of them would magically rearrange so that they’d be together for more classes, but that didn’t happen. 

“Hey,” Cas said as they started walking toward the newsroom.  “At least we’re editors in newspaper this year.  We can do whatever we want!”

Dean grinned.  That was the one thing that they’d worked their butts off for at the end of last year, both of them wanting to be editors but neither one willing to do it without the other.  “Seriously, we’re gonna rock this school.”

Cas grinned back as they walked into the room, bell ringing only seconds later.

Cas immediately went to the editor’s desk at the front of the room, looking over everything that was there.  The desk was covered with brand new school supplies….he could practically melt.

Dean, on the other hand, flitted around the room, saying hello to all of their other friends that he hadn’t been able to see over the summer.  He stopped to chat with Jo, who was a class below them, for a minute about this year’s football team prospects.

As Dean was talking to Jo, he saw out of the corner of his eye that Sam had walked into the room, trying to ignore his older brother.  Of course, Dean could have none of that, so he excused himself from the conversation with Jo to grab Sam in a headlock.

“Dean!” Sam said, hitting his brother’s stomach.  “Stop it!”

“What, Sammy,” Dean replied as he noogied his head.  “You don’t want big brother messing with you on the first day of school?”

Sam squirmed his way out of Dean’s arms as Cas and Jo laughed, watching the scene with glee.  Of course Cas already knew Sam, but Jo had only met Dean’s younger brother a few times, and was eager to tease the freshman as much as Dean was.

“Now, now, everyone settle,” a voice came from the door to the news classroom, and all of the students turned to see their teacher, Chuck Shurley, standing at the door.

“Chuck!” Dean said excitedly, heading toward their teacher with his hand poised to shake.  “How was your summer, old man?”

Chuck shook Dean’s hand, rolling his eyes at him.  “Just fine, Dean.  Now take a seat, just because you’re co-editor doesn’t mean you can bully your newest writers.”

“Yessir,” Dean replied politely, giving Chuck a mock-salute before heading over to the empty chair next to Cas. 

“Everyone, find a seat,” Chuck said to the rest of the group, and people quickly filed to their chairs, the tables set up in a large rectangle around the room so they could have full news staff meetings easily.

Chuck stood on the opposite end of the room from Dean and Cas’s editors’ desk, perching himself on the front of his desk instead of sitting in his chair.  “Welcome to the news team, everybody!” he started, looking around the room at each student as he spoke.  “There are many familiar faces here, but also some new ones, so I am glad that each and every one of you decided to pursue journalism at Lawrence High School this year!  Writing is such a fulfilling event – chasing the story, putting it down on paper… You’ll all learn and grow this year, but one thing I want to say to start us off: Writing is hard.  Don’t take for granted the writing process, and make sure that you are willing to put in the time and effort for the skill – we’re set to put out good, successful papers every week here for our student body.”

Chuck paused in his speech, smiling at the students around the room.  “Now,” he continued, “I’m here to guide, assist, and monitor the paper, but I am by no means the one in charge.  I will hand the reins over to your co-editors for the year, Cas Novak and Dean Winchester.”

Chuck led a small applause for Cas and Dean as the pair rose from their chairs, looking around the room.  Dean grinned, waving to everyone as if he were the King of England. 

“Thanks, everybody, it’s great to be here,” Cas said professionally, slapping Dean’s hand out of the air.  Sam hid his giggle behind his hand, earning a glare from Dean.

“We’re very excited for this year’s paper, as Dean and I believe it can be the best yet.”

“Here, here!” Dean added, making Cas roll his eyes. 

“We’ve come up with a list of who will be head of each section of the paper, based upon skill level and past experience.  Each of these people will be in charge of assigning, writing for, and organizing their section, assisting Dean and me in final layout when necessary.  This is a team event, people, and we will work as a unit all year long.  Others in the room will be assigned different stories each week, based on what’s happening around campus and Lawrence as a whole.”

Cas looked at Dean to make sure his co-editor was in agreement with his speech, as they hadn’t actually been able to discuss the paper over the summer with Dean gone for so long.  Dean sent a smile and a wink to Cas, encouraging his best friend to continue.

“So, here are the assignments: Jo, you’ll be in charge of the sports section.   _ All _ sports, Jo, not just football.”

Jo gave Cas a thumbs up, which Dean returned enthusiastically.

Cas continued.  “Ash,” Jo had to elbow Ash next to her to make sure he was listening.  The whole group knew that Ash had gotten senioritis last year as a junior, but he was a ridiculously talented writer and could whip out any story at a moment’s notice.  “You’ll be in charge of entertainment.  Movies, music, video games; you name it, we want to know about it.”

Ash nodded, jotting something down on the paper in front of him.  Dean wasn’t so sure it wasn’t just a doodle, but it made Cas feel as though Ash was on top of his assignment, so he moved on.

“Charlie, technology.  Just make sure normal humans can understand what you’re talking about, okay?”

Charlie scoffed, but nodded, pulling out her laptop and typing away at the keyboard, already lost in her own little world.  She was just a sophomore but was probably smarter than every person in the room and could definitely hack into the Lawrence Police Department database, as she had proved last year on a dare.

“Benny – clubs and activities.  It’d be great to have a new group featured every week, if possible.”  Benny, a wrestler, was one of the only athletes in their friend group or on the news team.  He was fairly reserved but a strong and loyal friend.  He was only a junior this year, but that didn’t mean that everyone didn’t respect him fiercely.

“Sam, you’ll be in charge of human interest.  As a freshman, you’ll have a new set of eyes on campus and should be able to see things that us upperclassmen take for granted.”

Dean winked at Sam, hopefully in an encouraging way.

“And Pam, you’re in charge of photography.  Anyone who needs photos of things, talk to Pam and she’ll get someone to come snap photos for you if she doesn’t do it herself.”

A flash of light went off in the room as Pam documented Cas’s words, cementing her place as photographer.  Made sense, really, as Pam always had her camera on her, ever since she was in elementary school.  Now that she was a junior, she had developed some actual talent and had convinced the school to buy her a Mac computer just for the newspaper photography department to use.

“Dean and I will write a bit for each section as needed,” Cas said as he finished up with the large assignments.  “If you ever have issues, like I said earlier, please see one of us.  We’ve written for each and every section of this paper in the past three years, and are eager to have this year’s paper be the best one LHS has ever seen.”

Cas turned to Dean when he finished, smiling.  “Anything to add?”

Dean grinned cheekily, knowing that Cas had covered it all.  “Nope, you’re the one who’s good at public speaking, not me.”

“Alright then,” Cas said.  “Chuck?”

Chuck held his hands out in presentation, proud of Cas’s work already.  “Not much to add except for one thing: this year we have already had a student contact me asking to prepare an anonymous column in the paper each week.  The subject matter is somewhat in the realm of social commentary, and I believe it will be a benefit to the paper to have it in there every other week or so.  I just need a liaison for this anonymous writer to send their stories to each week for editing and placement.”

“I’ll do it,” Dean volunteered.  “As co-editor, I think it’s only fitting, right Cas?”

Cas smiled, nodding.  “Great idea.  Chuck, you can pass Dean’s email address along to the student, and Dean will copy-edit all of the columns they send.”

Looking around the room one final time and seeing that there were no more questions, Cas clapped his hands together.  “Let’s get to work!”


	3. Bi-Line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas are co-editors of their school newspaper their senior year. When Dean begins an anonymous column in the paper, Bi-Line, discussing his life as a bisexual teen, will Cas figure out it’s him? Will he come out to his friends and family? When his feelings about Cas change, will he be brave enough to show Cas the real him?
> 
> author: just-another-busy-fangirl  
> artist: koisocks

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS: September 1, 2017**

Bi-Line 

_Hello Lawrence High School and let me welcome you to a new year!  I’m sure you’re wondering, what the heck is this column here in the school newspaper titled “Bi-Line”?  Is that supposed to be funny, is it a pun?  Bi could mean a lot of things, bilingual, bicycle, bipolar… I’ll tell you right now that none of those are what this column is referencing._

_The “Bi” in “Bi-Line” here is for bisexual._

_Wait, what?  We knew Mr. Shurley was crazy, but how could he let such a thing into this year’s student paper?_

_Well, good thing is, Mr. Shurley thinks it’d be a good idea for our school to get a little bit more well-rounded, so he has approved this anonymous writer for a year’s worth of columns._

_The real reason why I asked Mr. Shurley for a column was so that I could be candid with you people.  You’re my classmates, my schoolmates, I’ve known a lot of you for our entire lives.  And I think it’s important for someone to tell you about life.  Not the stuff about life that we learn here at school, but about life out there ._

_Lesson for this week: not everyone is like you out there.  There’s strange people doing strange things, and the crazy part about it all is that to them, those things are completely normal._

_Take me for instance._

_At the end of last year, I was just your average, Lawrence High School attending, Joe-Shmo.  Nothing particularly special about me, nothing weird._

_But this summer, all of that changed._

_My eyes were opened by two very special people in my life, and I realized something that had been hiding deep inside of me.  It was something that had been there all along, but I didn’t ever tap into that part of myself, because it was different .  Why be different when you can just go with the flow and be normal?  That’s what I always thought._

_In case you haven’t guessed what it is yet (if you’re really that behind), I am a bisexual man.  Some of you may not even know what that means, but don’t worry, I’ll spell it out for you._

_Bisexual men are people who are attracted to both girls and guys._

_Yep, that’s right.  You’re reading the column written by someone that you might not have a lot in common with.  But you know what?  That’s okay._

_You know what else?  We probably do have a lot in common, but it might be hard for you to get past this one thing about me.  Let’s hope that you do, though, and you continue reading what I have to say._

_Hopefully you’ll learn a little something by reading the thoughts and opinions of someone a bit different than you this year.  I’ll be regaling you with tales of my life, things that happen to most every one of us as high school students, but you’ll be able to see those things through the eyes of someone a little different from you._

_Sound interesting?_

_Good._

_This will probably be my longest column of the year, but I just wanted to spell it out for ya.  Stay tuned for more.  Have a great first week of school, Lawrence._

 

* * *

 

The first week of school went by in a blur, with Dean and Cas basically only seeing each other in newspaper, during lunch, and walking to and from school.  They were already bogged down with books and homework, but did the best they could to get the year’s first edition of the newspaper printed and perfect.

In Dean’s opinion, it was awesome.  Their team as a whole had really improved on their writing skills since last year, and even Sam wrote a nice piece about being a freshman in a new school.  Dean was proud of his brother, but try to get him to admit that to anyone and he’d deny it vehemently.

The anonymous column was the last thing to go in the paper before print on Thursday night, so Cas didn’t see it before print.  He trusted Dean’s skills as a copy editor that the column would work with the flow of the rest of the paper, especially since it was on the third page, not the cover.

As the two of them walked into the school together on Friday morning, the hallways were already buzzing with chatter, many students with their noses stuck in the paper.

“What’s going on?” Cas asked, grabbing a paper for himself from a stand in the hall.  Dean followed his lead, grabbing a copy as they headed for their lockers.

Cas flipped through the pages, eyes jumping from story to story and checking that everything was lined up and aesthetically pleasing.  “Color on page two’s a bit off…” he mumbled to himself, and Dean rolled his eyes.  Cas was always finding things that were wrong with their papers, even if they were practically perfect and the best student papers he’d ever seen.

Finally Cas’s eyes stopped over the anonymous column – _Bi-Line –_ and read through it quickly.  Dean watched him out of the corner of his eye as he swapped books from his backpack to his locker, wondering what Cas’s reaction was going to be to the column.

“Wow,” Cas said as he finished reading.  He looked up at Dean.  “That column you’re editing is going to be an interesting one, huh?”

Dean nodded, wondering what Cas’s opinion on it was.  The question wasn’t leading one way or another, so he waited.  Cas turned to his own locker, organizing for his day.  “So do you know who it is?” he finally asked, looking over at Dean.

Dean shook his head, not able to speak until he knew what Cas thought about it.  Cas nodded at Dean’s response, looking back at his books.  “Well, I think it’s pretty brave, and kinda great that Chuck is letting us publish the column, right?  It might help some of these peabrains in our school open their eyes a bit…”

Dean grinned, a sigh of relief escaping his lips as he agreed with Cas.  “Yeah, I think it’s gonna be cool.  Lots of people could learn from someone just a bit different than them.  But Chuck just gave the dude my email address, and he says he’s gonna send me his column every Wednesday or Thursday to make it into the Friday editions.  It’s some made-up email just for this, joeshmo123 or something like that.”

They turned away from their lockers, heading for the newsroom as Dean continued.  “He seems pretty serious about staying anonymous, so I say respect it.  We’ll see what everyone else thinks, I guess.”

Cas nodded as they entered the room.  Most of the staff was already there, and as Cas and Dean set their things down on their editor desks, Chuck began a round of applause.  Everyone joined in, Cas and Dean included, nodding to their friends around the room.

Cas held his hand up to calm everyone down, smiling at them all.  “Awesome first print of the year, guys!  Papers were in peoples’ hands from the moment they stepped on campus, which is a huge success!”

Dean took over then.  “That doesn’t mean, though, that we can slack off now.  There’s an expectation that has been put down, and that means that every paper from now on is equal to or better than today’s.  Now, let’s get to work!”

Another small scattering of applause filled the room in response, mostly from Jo, Sam, and Ash, as people turned to their notepads and computers to plan their next articles.  Cas and Dean smiled at each other, knowing that this would be the best year yet for the Lawrence High School News.

 

* * *

 

Pam sent out a text to their group of friends by the end of the school day Friday telling everyone that they were expected at her house at 6 pm sharp on Saturday night.  This was no surprise, as Pam had been hosting their friend group at her house at least once a month since middle school.  Dean was excited; he hadn’t been to one of the group get-togethers all summer long.  The first week of school had been draining and he was excited to see everyone in a non-classroom environment.

To Dean’s surprise, Pam had also invited Sam to join.  Apparently he’d made a good impression on the junior during his first week at LHS and she’d taken a liking to him.  

“Don’t be lame, Sammy,” Dean was telling him as they walked to Pam’s house.  “Sometimes weird shit happens when we all hang out, but if you’re uncomfortable you can just go home.  But don’t you dare tell Mom and Dad anything, understand?”

Sam nudged Dean with his elbow, annoyed that his older brother would think that he couldn’t be _cool_.  “Don’t worry about me, Dean.  I won’t embarrass you or make your friends like me more than you.  I’m just surprised and excited that Pam invited me over, too.”

Dean nodded, but that was the end of the conversation as they walked up the steps to Pam’s door.  Dean knocked as he always did, even if Pam had told him years ago he could just come right in.

The only house he felt comfortable enough to do that with was Cas’s.

The door was opened by Pam’s mother, who let them know that everyone was gathering downstairs.  Dean gave her a nod of thanks before pushing Sam in front of him, steering him to the basement.

Once they were downstairs, Dean immediately relaxed.  This was his happy place – he’d spent enough time down in Pam’s basement to know exactly how things would go and that everything was safe here.  It was a large entertainment area with a kitchenette, large television, and games - pool and foosball being the ones the group used most often.

Sam immediately headed over to where Charlie was sitting at the table on her computer, seeing what she was up to.  Dean saw Benny and Ash over at the pool table, playing a game of their own invention instead of actual pool.  They’d tried to explain it to Dean once, but Dean figured he’d never really understand the point of the game even after hours of trying.

Pam was messing with the television, waving his way as he walked in.  Jo was sitting on the couch, watching Pam.

Dean went over to sit with Jo, whispering into her ear, “You could be a little more obvious that you like Pam’s ass, you know.”

Jo didn’t hesitate before she slapped Dean’s arm, a smile on her face.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Dean,” she said sweetly, making him laugh.  He grabbed the bag of Skittles she was holding, dumping a few out into his palm before eating them.

“Whatever, Jo,” he retorted lamely, looking up as Cas walked down the stairs.  Cas didn’t look at Dean immediately, eyes roaming the room.  Unfortunately, that gave Dean the opportunity to give Cas a once-over, taking note of his chosen outfit for the evening.

As Dean had noticed the first day of school, Cas had gotten nicely toned over the summer.  He was wearing his favorite blue polo shirt that he had worn for years, but with the way that Cas’s body had filled out, it now fit him snugly across the chest and arms where before it had hung limply on his frame.  The sleeves were now tight over his muscles where they ended, making Dean’s mouth go dry.

Cas had also bought himself a new pair of jeans – and apparently he was now into skinny jeans.  They left no room for the imagination, hugging Cas’s ass nicely and letting everyone see just how thick his thighs really were.

Not to mention that they pulled just right across Cas’s crotch, and that’s when Dean had to force his eyes away from his friend.

Damn, Cas was _hot_.  How had he never noticed this before?

 _Oh, right_ , he thought to himself.  He’d never realized he was bisexual until this summer.

Cas decided in that moment to wander by the couch, standing behind it and squeezing Jo and Dean’s shoulders in greeting.

“Hey guys, how’s it going?” he asked, and Jo looked up at him, leaning her head back on the couch.

“I’m doing great, I have a wonderful view,” she said cheekily, and Dean was shocked at her brazenness.  Maybe he wasn’t the only one who’d come to a realization over the summer.

Cas balked at her comment for a moment before laughing, looking over at Pam before he nodded.  “Yeah, you sure do,” he agreed, grinning down at Dean.

Dean was staring off into space, not looking at Cas or Pam.  “Dean, you alright?” Cas asked, hand tightening on Dean’s shoulder.

“Uh, yeah, ‘m good.”

Dean didn’t have to look up to know that Cas was squinting at him in disbelief, but soon enough it didn’t matter.

“Alright, losers, time for the movie,” Pam said, straightening up and yelling at everyone.  “Pizza’ll be here soon so we can go ahead and get started.”

Everyone milled around the room, going to their usual places on the three couches.  This was nothing new; for the most part the group had been sitting in the same spots for years.

Pam took the seat next to Jo on the couch that Dean vacated, Ash sitting next to them as well.  Benny sat in the recliner, immediately propping his feet up.

Charlie, who moved to the loveseat that she usually had all to herself and her computer, called Sam over to follow her.  “Hey, Sam, here’s your new spot.  Love it or leave it, bro.”  Sam grinned, made eye contact with Dean, before heading over and lounging next to Charlie, their eyes going back to her computer as they’d been when they were at the table moments before.

Cas went to sit in the loveseat opposite Charlie and Sam, Dean’s reserved spot open next to him.  Pam started the movie while Dean stood back, taking a little extra time to pour himself a drink.

Really, he was freaking out internally.

He knew, from years of experience, that he and Cas sat awfully close together on that loveseat, since they were two growing teenage boys with long legs and arms, and the couch wasn’t altogether that large.  And after checking Cas out like that when he came in the room, Dean was worried.

He couldn’t sit next to Cas in that outfit without getting hard, no way.  Even with the lights off, someone was bound to notice, and he knew from personal experience that this group would call a guy out for having a random boner during their Saturday evening get-togethers.

Dean moved to stand behind Pam where she sat on the couch for a minute, drink in hand, deciding what his best option was.  It wasn’t until Cas looked over at him curiously, tilting his head to the side in question, that he realized he was drawing more attention to himself by standing up than he would by sitting down with Cas.

He headed over, making a last-minute decision before plopping himself on the floor in front of the loveseat, leaning his back against the furniture where he usually sat.  It definitely wouldn’t be as comfortable to sit on the floor instead of the couch during the two-hour movie, but it was safer than knocking knees with Cas every two seconds.

 _Yep, totally smooth, Dean_ , he thought to himself, quickly letting himself get lost in the images on the screen.


	4. Anonymous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas are co-editors of their school newspaper their senior year. When Dean begins an anonymous column in the paper, Bi-Line, discussing his life as a bisexual teen, will Cas figure out it’s him? Will he come out to his friends and family? When his feelings about Cas change, will he be brave enough to show Cas the real him?
> 
> author: just-another-busy-fangirl  
> artist: koisocks

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, September 8, 2017**

Bi-Line

_ It’s interesting, really.  When someone comes to a realization about themselves, something that turns your whole world inside-out, upside-down…do they change into someone completely new?  Or have they always been that person, they just maybe didn’t realize that about themselves? _

_ Say, for instance, that you’ve always said that your favorite ice cream was mint chocolate chip.  The delicious flavors of chocolate mixed with the ice-cold freshness of mint…so delicious. _

_ Then one day, you try salted caramel for the first time. _

_ It’s awesome.  It’s delicious and sweet and salty, and something altogether new and attractive. _

_ So you start swapping out ice cream flavors, not just sticking with the good old mint chocolate chip, but having salted caramel sometimes, too. _

_ Did you change as a person?  You obviously can’t say that you  don’t like mint chocolate chip ice cream, because you still do, very much.  But you can’t say it’s your favorite anymore, either, because now you also love salted caramel… _

_ These are the thoughts that have been rolling around in my head the past couple weeks.  Since I realized that I’m a flaming bisexual, have I changed as a person?  Can my friends tell that I’m not only checking out the ladies, but the fellas, too?  Or have my eyes always roamed toward both sexes, but my mind was just too slow to realize it? _

_ Can I really say that I’m the same person I was last year, when my entire worldview has shifted?  But also – hasn’t that bisexuality-ness always been somewhere inside of me? _

_ What is it, deep down, that makes a person who they are?  _

_ That’s the question I leave you with today, fellow Lawrence High Schoolers.  Have a great day. _

 

* * *

The lunchroom was buzzing with activity, school newspapers open on nearly every table.  Dean made his way over to their usual lunch table, taking a seat next to Cas.  After the few days of awkwardness from him sitting on the floor at Pam’s party last weekend - mainly consisting of Cas looking at him weird for a few days - things had finally gotten back to normal. 

Cas had obviously dismissed Dean’s strange behavior for just a quirk of nature, especially since they’d ended up playing video games all day Sunday and there was no weird avoidance of Cas that happened again.  Cas’s couch at his house was much bigger than the loveseat at Pam’s, though, so Dean could keep a safe distance without embarrassing himself.  Also, they tended to get a bit intense when they played video games, so half of their time was spent standing up with their faces three feet from the television screen, throwing punches toward each other in distraction.

All back to normal.

“What’s up, guys?” Dean asked as he sat, opening his lunch to find that his mom had packed his favorite sandwich – turkey  _ and _ ham, on sourdough bread.  Yu- _ um _ .

“Did  _ you _ read the column today, Dean?” Jo asked him, raising her eyebrows in question.  Dean nodded and shrugged in response, biting into his sandwich with fervor.

“Yeah, Jo, I copy-edit  _ Bi-Line _ . What about it?” he asked through his food, making Jo grimace at his (lack of) manners.

“We were just talking about it.  When somebody realizes they’re gay or bi or whatever, are they actually changing, or are they just recognizing something about themselves?” Jo caught him up, and Dean nodded.

“How can a person not know something like that about themselves from the beginning, though?” Benny asked, seemingly sincere.  “I just, like, know that I like chicks.  Nothing really to it other than I just know, ya know?”

“Yeah, but,” Pam said, “isn’t it drilled into our brains that straight people are the so-called ‘norm,’ whether that’s the truth or not, so people who are gay or bi don’t necessarily default to that way of thinking?  My cousin is hella gay, but didn’t realize it until he was in his mid-twenties, just because he’d always been told he should get a girlfriend, get married, and make babies.”

Benny humphed, mulling over Pam’s words as he stuffed a few Doritos into his mouth. 

Dean’s eyes moved around the table, taking in the general posture of the group.  It seemed that everyone there was interested in the conversation and actually thinking about the implications of his words.

Not that they  _ knew _ they were his words, of course. 

Dean looked at Cas, who was sitting right next to him.  Cas had a strange look on his face, as though he were upset or confused about something.  “Cas?”

Cas’s eyes jumped immediately to Dean’s face, looking like he was a deer caught in the headlights.  “What, huh?” he replied eloquently, completely out of the norm for Cas and making Dean laugh.

“Nothing, just making sure you weren’t broken or something,” Dean teased, bumping Cas’s shoulder with his own.  Cas gave a short laugh before looking away.

Dean forgot about Cas’s strange reaction until later in the day, when they were playing video games in Cas’s room once again.

“So, Dean, seriously,” Cas started, as if they’d been talking about something for the last hour straight.  Dean paused the game, knowing exactly what Cas’s “we need to talk” voice sounded like.  He turned to face Cas completely, engaged body language being something he knew his friend appreciated when they were talking about “serious” things.

“Do you think that a person changes who they are if they realize they’re gay or bi?  Like we were talking about at lunch – like the article was talking about?” Cas asked, words tumbling out of his mouth.

Dean studied Cas’s face, wondering why he seemed so worried.  Of course, the topic was one that Dean didn’t have the answer to, but he wanted to come off as his usual, confident self to his friend.

“I, uh, I don’t know, Cas.  I mean, do you think that kind of thing is something that’s always inside of you, somewhere deep down, maybe?” Dean responded, thinking through his own words as he spoke.  “That makes sense to me, cause it’s not like some guy just up and decides they like dudes for fun.  It’s pretty serious business, I s’pose.”

They sat quietly for a minute.

“No, I guess I don’t think a person changes,” Dean finally said, realizing that about himself.  Nothing had really changed about him, except that he was more aware of the guys around him in his life.  But it’s not like he and Cas hadn’t spent hours playing video games before he realized that he was bi, which was exactly what they were doing now.

The only difference was that now, he got a thrill of excitement every time their arms brushed.

“So,” Cas said, thinking over his words carefully as he spoke, “if, say, I came up to you one day and said that I was gay, you wouldn’t treat me any different, because I’d still be me?”

Dean looked over at Cas quickly, trying to see if there was reason behind Cas’s question.  He couldn’t read the emotions going across Cas’s face, so he looked away, gulping. 

“No, of course not.  You’re my best friend,” Dean responded with as much truth seeping through his words as he could muster.  “I don’t care if you’re straight, gay, a unicorn, or a gremlin.  You’re just…Cas.”

Cas’s lip quirked upward at Dean’s half-sincere, half-joking reply, the exact kind of reply he would expect from his friend.

“You got something to tell me, Cas?” Dean asked, nudging his friend in the side with his elbow.

“Nope, just thinking out loud.  You?” Cas shot back, making Dean’s heart beat hard.

“No, nothing,” Dean responded, slightly disappointed with himself.

That would have just been too easy, right?

 

* * *

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, September 15, 2017**

Bi-Line

_ Dating in high school is weird. _

_ I can’t be the only one in the school who thinks that, either. _

_ I mean, come on.  We see all of these people in Hollywood, or on movies or television shows, where dating is all –  let’s go out to dinner and then to the movies and have this perfect time and everything is happy and good and we get a goodnight kiss on the front porch as I drop you off . _

_ But let’s face it – have any of us ever been on a date like that?  Do we have the money to take a girl or guy out, paying for their meal and movie ticket and all that jazz?  _

_ Nope. _

_ “Dating” in high school consists of this: _

> _ Hey, do you want to go out with me? _
> 
> _ \- Sure _
> 
> _ Great, let’s hang out at my house and watch movies in the dark and pretend that we’re grown up and know what the hell we’re doing. _
> 
> _ \- Sounds great! _

_ How lame. _

_ It’s like we want to be adults about dating and relationships, we really do, but we just don’t have the capability of pulling it off for another few years.  Or maybe ever, who knows.  But somehow, for whatever reason, dating is always a number one priority for us, because hey – we’re in high school and have crushes and just want it.  _

_ It’s a lose-lose situation, people. _

_ Sigh. _

 

* * *

A few weeks into the school year is the first time that Cas comes over for dinner at the Winchester house.  It’s strange that it takes so long, because usually Cas is at the Winchesters’ for dinner once a week, but they’d all just been too busy those first few weeks.

Mary pulled Cas into a huge hug the moment he walked through the door, doting on him and commenting on how handsome he’d gotten over the summer.

“You better watch it, boy,” John joked from the dining room.  “That’s my wife right there.”

Cas laughed, already moving to help Mary bring dishes of food in from the kitchen.  Dean reluctantly followed, not wanting Cas to one-up him on his duties as a son.

“Sorry, Mr. W. – she’s just too pretty to resist!” Cas threw over his shoulder, earning a shove from Dean. 

Mary giggled at the compliment, while John agreed with a, “Hell yeah, she is.”

Dean rolled his eyes and groaned as he grabbed a tray of food, taking it out to the dining room and setting it on the table.  Sam was hard at work pouring glasses of water for all of them and the brothers met eyes, communicating silently about the obnoxious and slightly awkward conversation happening around them.  They grinned at each other, glad they were on the same page.

“Alright, boys, let’s settle,” Mary said, standing behind her chair until they all sat.  Cas’s place was right next to Dean, as it had always been when he ate at their house, and Sam sat across from them, Mary and John at the two heads of the table.

A pleasant conversation began, Mary and John peppering Cas with questions about his summer.  He gave them the basic overview – working for the landscaping company – along with a few fun stories of the people whose yards he’d done.

“And then she came out in her bathrobe and yelled at me!  Right there, waving her scrubbing brush around like she was going to hit me with it!” Cas finished, noticing the tears of laughter streaming down Dean’s eyes at the ridiculous story.

“Ah, Cas, I wish I coulda seen your face,” Dean commented, taking a big gulp of water to calm himself.  The laughter at the table died down a bit, and John turned to his own sons.

“So, how’s school going so far, Sam?  Your brother’s not giving you too hard of a time for being a freshman, is he?”

Sam shook his head, looking across the table at Dean before turning back to his food and answering.  “No, sir.  Dean’s been fine.”

“How much did you threaten him to say that,” Cas fake-mumbled to Dean, making Mary swat at Cas’s arm.

Sam sat a little straighter, giving Dean and Cas a genuine smile.  “It’s actually been kinda fun, having newspaper first thing in the morning, and most of the team is from different grade levels and they’re all really nice.”

Cas nodded.  “You and Charlie seem to be getting along really well.”

Sam nodded, stuffing his mouth with food before speaking.  “Yeah, she’s super cool.  Knows a ton about computers and video games and is teaching me a little bit about how to code stuff, it’s awesome.”

“And what grade is Charlie in, Sam?” Mary asked curiously, sending Dean a look that probably meant something along the lines of  _ Do I need to be worried about this girl ruining my perfect little Sammy and why did you not tell me about her? _

“She’s a sophomore.  Only a year older than me, and I’m actually not interested in her as more than a friend, Mom,” Sam replied, giving Mary a look.  She raised her hands in defense, letting Sam know that she wouldn’t press it any more.

“Newspaper’s been the best so far, but don’t tell my editors,” Sam continued, earning a teasing kick under the table from Dean.  “Especially with that anonymous column that’s been going around, we’re getting a lot of reads and it’s exciting.”

John turned to Dean and Cas, curiosity on his face.  “What anonymous column do you boys have?”

Dean and Cas met eyes, unsure of how John and Mary would handle the idea that a bisexual student was doing a commentary column every couple weeks in their paper.  Dean shrugged, letting Cas take the lead, as he was always better with words.

“A student contacted Chuck-“

“Mr. Shurley,” Mary corrected quickly, not particularly liking the fact that the students called their teacher by his first name.

“Contacted  _ Mr. Shurley _ ,” Cas said before continuing, “over the summer to ask if they could do an anonymous column - mainly social commentary and stuff like that - from the perspective of a bisexual teenager.”

There was a pregnant pause that settled across the room, Sam and Dean both feeling a bit uncomfortable for a minute at their parents’ lack of response.

Cas decided to continue his explanation instead of waiting.  “It’s been really popular with readership; we’ve seen a 25% increase in papers read each week compared to the last few years.  The commentary is mainly an introspection on being a bisexual teen in today’s day and age, along with other random school-related topics that any and all of us students are going through.  Their whole point is to show that just because they are bisexual doesn’t mean that they’re, like, an alien or something.  Some things are the same, and some are different.”

When Cas was finished speaking, he stuffed his mouth with food, hoping for the best from the elder Winchesters.

“Huh,” John eloquently responded.

“Well, boys, I think that sounds quite interesting.  I hope that you’re all learning a thing or two about the world,” Mary said, turning back to her food and effectively ending the conversation.

All three teens nodded before the rest of the meal passed in relative silence, only a touch of awkwardness in the air.


	5. Milkshakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas are co-editors of their school newspaper their senior year. When Dean begins an anonymous column in the paper, Bi-Line, discussing his life as a bisexual teen, will Cas figure out it’s him? Will he come out to his friends and family? When his feelings about Cas change, will he be brave enough to show Cas the real him?
> 
> author: just-another-busy-fangirl  
> artist: koisocks

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, September 22, 2017**

Bi-Line

_ So for all of my out-and-proud people (‘cause there are  so many of you here at LHS) or fellow closeted friends, here’s my thought of the week: _

_ Is it easier to come out to your friends or your family? _

_ This could pertain to other subjects that  aren’t sexuality as well, like maybe you secretly think that the DC cinematic universe is better than Marvel, but since that’s totally not the norm, you would have to come out and say it to everyone for them to know about it, but obviously it’s nerve-wracking.  It could change their entire opinion of you, ya know? _

_ On the one hand, family is supposed to love you no matter what.  Love and support, be there through thick and thin.  But sometimes family members are uptight and stuck in their ways, and anything shown to them that rocks their perception of the world would be dismissed as just a young person’s whim of the day. _

_ On the other hand, your friends are people who have chosen to be with you, they like you because of who you are.  Since they aren’t really stuck with you, but chose to hang with you and be friends with you, would that make it easier for the to turn their backs on you when you are different in their eyes?  Or would they be more likely to stick with you, because they chose you in the first place? _

_ So which is harder, or easier, or better to come out to first: friends or family? _

_ This is my dilemma.  Hope you can help me figure this out. _

_ ‘Til next week. _

 

* * *

Things began to fall into a routine for the school year.  Like always, Dean walked to Cas’s house in the morning and the two of them gossiped and teased each other on their way to school.  They had gotten into a groove at the paper every morning: every person on their team knew what they were supposed to do and did it well.  It was almost as if Dean and Cas, as editors, didn’t need to be there to keep it going, which was exactly how they wanted it to be. 

Dean was especially glad that he didn’t have to pester anyone about their sections, but could concentrate on writing his own articles and editorials, and coming up with new topics for Bi-Line, even though no one knew it was him writing it.

The two of them would part ways for classes, meeting back up at lunch.  Topics at their table ranged from the paper to the day’s gossip to homework help.  Even though Charlie was only a sophomore, she was a genius and could easily help Dean with his math homework.  He wouldn’t be surprised if the girl ended up graduating early, as she was already testing out of classes she didn’t need to sit through for an entire year.

Most days during their last class and after school, Dean and Cas spent a bit more time at the paper, reviewing their peers’ articles or images or setting the layout for the upcoming prints.  This was the part of the job that Dean enjoyed the most: he treated the layout as if it were a puzzle waiting to be solved.  Most of the time Dean let Cas talk to their writers, letting them know if articles needed improvement or additions, letting Dean be more in charge of the layout.  Like Dean always said, Cas was the better talker between the two of them, and Cas really didn’t mind doing most of the talking anyway.  Chuck was there to help, but most of the time could be found with his feet propped up on his desk reading something, as he wasn’t needed much, if at all.

The paper came out twice a week, most of the time.  Their big printing was on Fridays, but with the amount of writers and excitement on the team, they decided to have a smaller, one to two page print on most Tuesdays for anyone who wanted to write extra stories.  Chuck didn’t care one way or another what happened with printing, as long as Dean and Cas oversaw it all.

Besides the regular business with the paper, Dean was surprised at how easily Sam fit into their group of friends.  For being a freshman and Dean’s dorky little brother, he was a whole lot cooler than Dean had expected him to be in high school.  Before the year started, Dean figured that Sam would find a group of freshman nerd friends and stick with them, not be somewhat outgoing like he was.  He was pretty proud of the kid, but would never actually tell Sam that.

Of course, Sam would always be his dorky little brother, but it was fun to spend more time with him outside of their house, as if he were an actual,  _ normal _ person.

A month into school found Sam and Dean in their family car heading for a weekend visit to their grandparents’ house.  Samuel and Deanna were the boys’ namesakes, and they lived in a big city not too far from Lawrence.  The Winchesters tried to go visit them once every few months, so late September found them on a weekend getaway.

Deanna treated the whole family to a delicious home-cooked meal on Friday night once they’d arrived, cooking all of Sam and Dean’s favorites: roast with mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, and jello salad.  And for dessert: apple pie.

The brothers filled their plates more than once each, earning hearty laughs from all of the adults.  “Gotta make sure these boys grow up strong, eh?” Samuel had joked when Sam reached for his third helping.

After dinner, Sam headed for Samuel’s study, needing to work on a project for school.  Mary and Deanna started up a very involved conversation about some sort of needlework, which drove Dean away from the living room quickly.

Dean tried to head to the back porch to join his dad and grandfather, but the older men insisted that they’d be smoking and drinking, and didn’t want Dean around for any of that.

Dean found himself with nothing to do, so he headed out of the house, intending to take a walk over to the park nearby where he’d played as a child.

The night was nice and warm, and he was happy strolling down the road in shorts and a t-shirt.  His memory didn’t help him much as he took a few wrong turns through the neighborhood before finding the park, but once he did he sat himself on a swing, feet pushing him back and forth a bit as he listened to the sounds of the night.

This park was nice, with a field that allowed for youth leagues to play soccer or football, a small playground, and picnic tables.  Dean found himself lost in memories of playing catch with Samuel, running around playing tag with Sam, or Deanna packing them picnics to eat outside on nice days.

He was so lost in thought that he didn’t hear the group of teenagers approaching the park until they got there, heading for the jungle gym and each finding their place.

“Hey, you lost?” someone yelled at him, and Dean looked over at the group.  It was made up of two girls and three guys, all Dean’s age or younger.  One of the guys had lit a cigarette and was attempting to look cool, and the girls obviously thought he did.

“Nah, just wasting time,” Dean responded, watching as one of the guys headed over for the swing set where Dean was sitting.  He held his hand out in greeting.

“Hey, I’m Jimmy,” he said as Dean shook his hand.  “You from around here?  I’ve never seen you in the neighborhood before.”

Dean shook his head as he responded.  “Dean, and no, my family is just visiting my grandparents.  I decided to get out of the house for a while.”

Jimmy nodded, sitting on the swing next to Dean.  His dark hair was short, and a friendly smile was on his face as he began pushing himself slightly with his feet.  “Family a drag?”

Dean matched his swinging to Jimmy’s, an easy pace between them.  “Nah, they’re just all busy.  Didn’t feel like sitting and doing nothing there, so I came to sit and do nothing here.  Used to play here as a kid.”

“Cool,” was Jimmy’s response, and the two of them were quiet for a moment.  The smoking guy had either finished or put out his cigarette, and had moved on to make out with one of the girls as she sat on the jungle gym holding him between her legs.  The other guy and girl were also standing real close, and Dean made a mental bet that they’d be macking it soon as well.

“Looks like your friends have paired off,” Dean commented, earning a huff of laughter from Jimmy.

“Yeah, that’s pretty normal for us.  I’ve always been the fifth wheel, no matter how many times they try to bring along some girl for me, they just don’t stick.”  Jimmy paused, fingers fiddling with the chains on the swing.  “My friends don’t seem to understand my…tastes…as much as I wish they would.”

Dean looked over at Jimmy, wondering if his particular choice of words was implying what he thought they were.  At Dean’s silence, Jimmy looked over at him. 

“Sorry, dude, if you’ve got a problem with gays, I’ll let you sit in peace…” Jimmy began to stand, but Dean’s hand on his around the chain stopped him from getting up.

“No problem, Jimmy,” Dean said, putting as much meaning into his words as he could.  “I’d be a hypocrite if I had a problem, after all.”

It was odd how easy it was to come out to this stranger, but the feeling in Dean’s chest when he said those words was like a weight had been lifted.  Jimmy was now the first person he’d come out to besides Megan and Matt, and it was a freeing feeling.  Jimmy’s eyebrows raised in surprise but then he quickly broke out into a grin, settling himself back into his swing.

“So is  _ that _ the reason why you’re out of your house?  Don’t know how to come out to the family?” Jimmy asked, in a friendly enough manner that Dean didn’t feel strange.

He shrugged.  “No, I mean - I’m bisexual, by the way - I haven’t come out to my family, but they’d be alright.”  Dean thought about the article he’d written for the newspaper and the slightly awkward conversation at dinner that had spurred the subject in his brain.  “I mean, I think they would be.”

Jimmy nodded, not responding for a minute.  Dean watched him out of the corner of his eye, noting how attractive the guy was.  Jimmy turned and caught Dean looking at him, smiling as Dean blushed and looked away.

Yep, the other pair of Jimmy’s friends were now hand-in-hand, heading for the merry-go-round.

“So, uh, Dean,” Jimmy said, drawing Dean’s attention back to him.  “How long you in town for?”

“Just ‘til Sunday afternoon.  Weekend trip,” Dean replied, looking at Jimmy.  “Why?”

Jimmy looked away at his friends across the park as he answered.  “Would you be able to get away, maybe grab a milkshake with me tomorrow?”

Dean grinned as a small flip of his stomach occurred at the invitation for what was more likely than not a date.  “I could probably swing that,” he said casually, as though he hadn’t gotten so excited by the prospect of a date with the guy.

Jimmy grinned back, not looking at Dean as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.  “Can I get your number, and I’ll text you later?”

Dean nodded, rattling off his cell number and watching as Jimmy dialed it, texting him so that Dean would have Jimmy’s number, too.

_ Can’t wait for milkshakes, hot stuff, _ the text read, and Dean was goofily grinning at it as Jimmy got up off the swing, heading to the other side of the park where he’d come from.  Dean looked up, seeing that his new friend was leaving him.

“See ya tomorrow, Jimmy,” Dean called, winking at the brunette as he turned to wave.

“Good night, Dean.”

Dean got up as well, walking the opposite direction that Jimmy was going and headed back to his grandparents’ house with a goofy grin on his face, ignoring everyone else in the house as he headed straight for bed.

* * *

 

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, September 25, 2017**

Bi-Line

_ You know how (practically) everyone at LHS has been going to school together since pre-K and we all know each other and all of our secrets and sometimes it’s a bit suffocating? _

_ It’s nice going somewhere where no one knows you.  There’s no precedence of who you ought to be or how you ought to act.  You are a stranger, a new person to everyone.  You can be who you truly are, with no expectations or standards of behavior. _

_ This weekend, I had an opportunity to be a fresh face, and the best part about it was that I went on a date. _

_ With a guy. _

_ It was refreshing, really.  I met someone new, got to introduce myself and get to know him as myself, my  true self, and he liked me for who I was.  There were no preconceptions of how I should act, because he didn’t know me or my family, like many of you do.  It was really, really nice. _

_ If I was going on a date with a guy around here, especially if I were pursuing someone at LHS, you all would freak out – I’d be the talk of the town before we’d even been able to order drinks. _

_ But out there, where no one knew me, it was easy.  I got to be myself. _

_ BUT HEY – YOU WENT ON A DATE WITH A GUY, THAT MAKES YOU GAY! _

_ Sorry, but I figure some of you are thinking those exact words in response to my story.  Nope, not gay, still bi.  BI, meaning two. _

_ Maybe next weekend I’ll go on a date with a girl.  Maybe I’ll go on a date with a guy.  Who knows? _

_ We had milkshakes, by the way.  It was nice. _


	6. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas are co-editors of their school newspaper their senior year. When Dean begins an anonymous column in the paper, Bi-Line, discussing his life as a bisexual teen, will Cas figure out it’s him? Will he come out to his friends and family? When his feelings about Cas change, will he be brave enough to show Cas the real him?
> 
> author: just-another-busy-fangirl  
> artist: koisocks

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, September 29, 2017**

Bi-Line

_ Okay, time for a Hot Take: _

_ Homecoming is a ridiculous social construct.  It’s crazy how hyped up everything gets: you have to buy the outfit and the tickets to the game and dance and the flowers for your date and you ask them in a fancy way and blah blah blah.  _

_ It’s all just so incredibly fake, especially with the people who are already dating and feel obligated to go through all these motions – or worse.  You’re single and expected to find yourself a partner for this event that isn’t all that important in the scheme of things and life in general, but is  infinitely important at the moment. _

_ Is this just an event created by years of doing it over and over, used to test a person’s ability to conform and do what is expected of them?  That’s what it feels like to me. _

_ Just my thoughts for the day.  Have a great one! _

 

* * *

The lunchroom was buzzing with talk of Homecoming dates and proposals.  Everyone was chatting about the who’s who of the school, and oh – is the football captain going to ask the cheerleading captain as expected, even though they dated last year and had a horrible break up?  Or is he going to break tradition and ask someone random girl, and if so, who would it be?

Even Dean and Cas’s table was talking about it, something that annoyed Cas to no end. 

“I’d rather just go with someone who I’m friends with, when there’s no expectation of anything coming out from the experience,” Cas commented, earning a nod from a few of their friends.

“That’s just cause you’re not interested in anyone, Cas,” Pam teased him, throwing a fry his way.  Dean watched as Cas looked down at his book quickly, only shrugging in response.

“I, however,” Pam continued, “fully expect someone to ask me and have a nice, hearty make-out afterward.  That’s my idea of a fun night, right, guys?”

Pam looked over at Dean and wiggled her eyebrows, earning a chuckle from the table.  “Whatever, Pam.  I’m not going to ask you, by the way.”

“Oh, really, Dean-O?” she quipped back.  “Who you gonna ask, then?”

Dean looked around the cafeteria, taking in the mass of bodies that he’d known practically his whole life.  Truthfully, there weren’t many girls in the room that he would be interested in that he  _ hadn’t _ already had a fling of some type with, having been quite the popular guy during his sophomore and junior years.

It was just another huge change Dean had made over the summer, along with his revelation.  He hadn’t even realized it, but he’d made it through a month of his senior year without asking a single person out from school.  Of course, he’d had that date with Jimmy, which was awesome, but in his mind that was separated from his life here at LHS.

Thinking about Jimmy and potentially taking not an LHS girl to Homecoming, but an LHS guy, which created a whole new pool of options for dates...there was no way he was ready to ask a guy to a social event like this, even if there might be a few who he’d be interested in.  With the way his column was going, things were getting a bit more easy and open around campus with the conversation on sexuality, but he knew he still wasn’t ready for that.  He needed to be completely ready before he put himself in the spotlight.

A table of girls caught his eye as they laughed, and he looked over at them.  Who at that table would be fun to go to Homecoming with?

“Lisa,” he said, eyes landing on the brunette as she threw her head back in laughter.  Like everyone else at the school, Dean had known Lisa for years but she was one that he’d never been interested in in the past, so there’d be little to no drama in asking her.  “I’m going to ask Lisa.”

Cas watched Dean as his eyes lingered on Lisa’s table before coming back to look around at his friends, seeing them giving him a mixture of shrugs and a chorus of “Alrights.”

“Do you even like Lisa?” Cas asked Dean quietly, knowing that his best friend wouldn’t want such a personal conversation to be public, even amongst their close friends at the lunch table. 

Dean shrugged in response.  “I guess, I mean, it’s just Homecoming, right?  I don’t really need to like her, I just need to get along with her enough to have some fun.”  Dean looked at Cas.  “Not like I’m marrying the girl, right?”

Cas watched Dean’s face closely before nodding, returning to his book once more.  Dean’s eyes were drawn back to Lisa’s table, watching as she stood with a couple other girls and went to put her tray of food away.  She was pretty enough, the pictures alone would make his mom happy, whether he was interested in her or not.

_ Senior year Homecoming, here I come _ , he thought to himself, beginning to wrack his brain for a shmoopy way to ask Lisa Braeden to the dance.

 

* * *

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS October 6, 2017**

Bi-Line

_ And it’s that time of year again, ladies and gents.  Last week I ranted about Homecoming as a ridiculous social construct that is pointless and annoying, but here we are. _

_ What makes up the perfect Homecoming Proposal?  Is it flowers?  Is it something extravagant in front of the whole school?  Something personal, that means something only to them? _

_ This is the dilemma that I am met with – how do I ask my future date to Homecoming?  I mean, I’ve known her for years (yes, I am taking a girl to Homecoming, sorry I won’t be outing myself to all of you sneaks anytime soon), but we’ve never dated, so it’s not like I know her personally. _

_ I guess I’ll do something nice and cute, maybe the classic “fill her locker with balloons.” _

_ Or not.  Whoever does that, sorry if you get asked if you’re me. _

_ ‘Til next time! _

 

* * *

Dean called Cas that Saturday morning as soon as he woke up.

“Hey, Cas, care to help me out this afternoon?” he said as soon as his friend answered the phone.

Dean heard shuffling on the other end of the line, probably because it was fairly early and Cas usually slept in on Saturday mornings.  Dean must have woken Cas up with his phone call.

“Uh, sure,” Cas finally responded, sighing.  “With what?”

Dean looked up at his ceiling, trying not to think about Cas laying in his bed at this exact moment, too.  “Gonna ask Lisa to HoCo today – thought you could help me out.  You’re much better at the flirty-cutesy planning stuff than I am.”

“Oh,” was Cas’s response.  “You don’t have any plans?”

Dean sighed.  “Nah, I mean, I figured I’d do it today somehow because she’s got a softball game. Maybe I can do something there?”

Cas was quiet on the line for a minute, and Dean could practically hear his brain ticking.  “Yeah, that would work.  We could make a sign or something.  ‘You knocked me out of the park, HoCo?’ or something like that.  Maybe softballs for the o’s.”

Dean grinned.  “See, Cas?  This is why I needed you.  So smart.  So creative.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Cas said.  “I’ll be over in a couple hours, okay?”

“Sounds great, see ya,” Dean responded before clicking to end the call.  Thank God for Cas, he was always there when Dean needed him.

A few hours later, Dean and Cas were heading for their school’s softball game.  They’d enlisted Mary’s help to write the words on their sign all nice and neat, as neither boy had particularly good handwriting.  Dean had pulled out his old Crayola markers and they’d decorated it the best they could.

Now they just wanted to have a win for the Lawrence softball team, ensuring that Lisa would be in a good enough mood to agree to Dean’s proposal.

Dean and Cas sat together on the bleachers, snacking and drinking sodas as they cheered for the girls.  Dean cheered extra loud for Lisa, catching her eye a few times.  She seemed surprised at first, but eventually began looking directly toward him in the crowd for his reaction to plays.  He sent enough flirty winks her way to make a permanent blush on her cheeks – or maybe that was just the heat outside and rush of adrenaline while she was playing, who knows. 

Finally the game ended, a blowout for Lawrence, and Dean locked eyes with Lisa across the field as she shook hands with the opposing team.  Once she was through with the line, he raised his sign for her to see.

_ Lisa, you knocked me out of the park.  Run the bases with me at Homecoming? _

She read the sign and grinned.  Some of the girls on her team giggled as Lisa ran over to Dean, giving him a huge hug.  Cas, ever the good friend, took a few pictures for them and Dean promised to talk to Lisa later to coordinate everything. 

With a parting kiss on the cheek, she was back in the dugout, girls surrounding her to get all of the details.

“Thanks, man,” Dean said to Cas as he patted him on the back.  “Now to ask your date – who are you going with, anyways?”

Cas smiled softly, shrugging.  “Already asked Charlie, actually.  Figured a couple antisocial people should go to a social event together, right?”

Dean laughed, knocking his arm against Cas to reprimand him.  “Sounds great, that should be fun.  Hopefully Sammy doesn’t get jealous, though.”

Cas laughed, knowing that Sam didn’t actually have feelings for Charlie, but their friend group had started to enjoy poking fun at the freshman who always hung out with the older, nerdy girl. 

The two of them walked back to Dean’s house and spent the rest of the day playing video games, only stopping their marathon for food.

 

* * *

Finally, Homecoming week arrived.  The school was wild all week long: crazy dress up days interfering with all of the lessons that teachers had planned; the pep rally, parade, and game all making the students wild. 

Cas and Dean planned their evening so that they could hang out together with their dates.  They ordered a limo for them to take Charlie and Lisa to Homecoming, wanting something a little nicer for their senior year than just being dropped off or driving themselves.

They took pictures before the dance at Dean’s house in his backyard, as Mary always kept pretty flowers around for her garden.  The moms all oohed and aahed at the girls’ dresses and Dean had to admit that Lisa looked absolutely stunning.

They went to dinner with most of the senior class at a local Italian place; it was packed with Lawrence students.  They supposed that’s how things go when there aren’t many nice restaurants on a night where every high schooler goes out to eat.

The dance itself was fun, but nothing special.  What was surprising to Dean was how good of a time he had with Lisa.

She was funny.  He hadn’t expected it – he thought she was just another pretty face at Lawrence.  Sure, he’d been in classes with her since they were kids, but he’d never actually gotten to know her.

He found himself having more fun than he’d had in a while, maybe more fun than he’d had since summer with Megan and Matt.

They danced, close.  Lisa pressed herself against Dean in all the right ways, smiling up at him and letting his hands wander wherever they wanted.

Of course, they were in public, so he kept it PG-13, but…

Dean may have noticed Cas and Charlie sitting off to one side, watching the dance floor, but he couldn’t find it in himself to leave Lisa to go chat with his friends.

He especially couldn’t leave when she tilted her face up, lips so enticing that he just had to lean down to capture them with his own.

If Lisa was a good dancer, she was an even better kisser.


	7. Girlfriend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas are co-editors of their school newspaper their senior year. When Dean begins an anonymous column in the paper, Bi-Line, discussing his life as a bisexual teen, will Cas figure out it’s him? Will he come out to his friends and family? When his feelings about Cas change, will he be brave enough to show Cas the real him?
> 
> author: just-another-busy-fangirl  
> artist: koisocks

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, October 20, 2017**

Bi-Line

_ Hey, Lawrence High, did you guys have fun at Homecoming?  Sure, the whole thing is a ridiculous social construct…but man, it was a good night, right? _

_ I know I mentioned in my last article that I was going to ask a girl, which I did, and I couldn’t have had a better night.  No details for you, of course, but it was a good time. _

_ And I’ve heard some of you talking, so I’ll repeat myself again: _

_ Yes, I’m a bisexual man.  Yes, bisexual men are still interested in girls – that’s where the BI part comes in.  Yes, I took a girl to Homecoming and she rocked my world. _

_ Yes, I think I’m going to ask her out again. (Refer back to the article I wrote on ‘dating’ as a teenager, but I’m falling into my own hole, here.) _

_ Does that make me straight? _

_ Hell, no.  I still think guys are hot, too, so don’t get your panties in a wad. _

_ Have a great one! _

 

* * *

“Seriously, guys,” Pam was saying at lunch.  “Dude’s taken a girl out.  I just don’t quite get it.  Seems pretty straight to me.”

The table was quiet except for Pam, as she was still wrapping her head around this whole bisexuality thing. 

Finally, Cas spoke up.  “Pam, what’s your favorite movie?”

Pam scrunched her eyebrows at Cas, unsure of the sudden change of subject.  “You know I like all movies, Cas.  That’s why I host the movie nights.”

Pam smiled at the table, looking at everyone for their support of her movie nights.

“Yes, but just humor me,” Cas continued, pressing Pam for an answer.

“Uh, okay,” she responded, thinking for a minute.  “Probably either  _ Princess Bride _ or  _ Die Hard _ , depends on how I’m feeling.”

Cas smiled, a grin that Dean couldn’t help but mirror.  “So when you watch  _ Princess Bride _ ,” Cas asked, “does it mean you love watching Bruce Willis all bloody and sweaty any less?”

Pam took a bite of her sandwich, thinking over Cas’s words.  Finally, she spoke.  “Of course not.  Am I a bisexual movie lover?”

Chuckles went around the table at her jest.  “No, Pam,” Cas said.  “I think you’re a pansexual movie lover – you go for everything.”

Pam flipped her hair over her shoulder, looking arrogant in jest.  “Of course I do, Cas.  Thanks.”

“Anytime,” Cas said with a smile before turning back to his book, missing the way Dean’s eyes roamed over toward Lisa’s table. 

Before he could lose the motivation that suddenly bloomed in his chest, Dean stood and went over to Lisa, wrapping his arms around her shoulders from behind and kissing her cheek, making her squeal with laughter.

If Cas’s face darkened at the sound, Dean was too preoccupied to see it.

 

* * *

It took Dean a few days to realize that Lisa wasn’t leaving his thoughts, especially after the great time they’d had at Homecoming.  He found himself waiting outside of her locker after school a few days later, a grin coming to his face when she walked up, leaving her group of friends a few steps away.

“Hey, Dean,” she said sweetly, smiling up at him.  “What’s up?”

Dean grinned back, his hand scratching the back of his neck with awkwardness.  “How’s it going, Lis?” he asked, hoping that getting her talking would make the situation less awkward.

Lisa turned toward her locker, beginning to work the combination.  “It’s going good.  Long day at school, ya know?”

Lisa busied herself switching books and notebooks from her backpack to her locker, letting Dean take the time he needed to say what he wanted to say.  Dean appreciated the way the silence wasn’t awkward at all, and made a mental note of that.

“Yeah, so I was wondering...do you want to go to the diner and get milkshakes?  Treat ourselves after a long day of school and all…”

Lisa smiled into her locker before turning to Dean and nodding.  “I’d love to, Dean.”

They stared at one another for a moment, Dean realizing that he was feeling a way about Lisa that he hadn’t felt about anyone before.   _ This could be something _ , he thought, before offering his arm in a gentlemanly manner and walking out of the school with Lisa, unaware that his best friend watched them walk by with confusion on his face.

The milkshake after school led to a walk in the park, which led to the many kisses and giggles that came along with a budding relationship.  Dean found himself texting Lisa, talking about Lisa, or planning things to do with Lisa constantly, to a point that Sam outright yelled at him to shut up about the girl.

Mary was very excited, as she thought that Dean and Lisa had made quite the pair at Homecoming and was happy that Dean had found someone to date.

The biggest step between the two of them was Dean inviting Lisa to sit at their table at lunch.  It was after about a week of them “going steady” that he saw her in line as he came into the lunchroom. 

“Hey, Lis!” he said, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.  She giggled as she reached for her food choices, much healthier than Dean would have ever picked.

“What’s up, babe?” she asked, grabbing money from her pocket to pay before taking her tray off the line.

Dean looked around the lunchroom, first at his table of friends – half full so far, as lunch had just begun and people were still coming in – then at the table Lisa usually sat at.

“Want to –“ Dean started asking, seeing her looking up expectantly at him.  He started again, smiling.  “Want to sit with me today?”

Lisa smiled, nodding.  “I’d love to, Dean.”

She followed him over to his table, Charlie raising her eyebrows and Benny nodding in hello as Dean sat in his chair, pulling the one next to him out for Lisa.  She sat, beginning to settle in to her lunch as others who sat at Dean’s table came in.

Pam caught Dean and Lisa up into a conversation immediately, making sure that Lisa felt welcome in Dean’s rag-tag group of friends.  Dean was so preoccupied with Pam’s story that he didn’t notice Cas’s upset face upon seeing that Lisa was sitting in his normal seat, the one right next to Dean.  He pulled up a chair on the other side of Ash, getting a nudge of acknowledgement from the brainiac before he pulled his book out and immediately shut out the world around him.

Lisa started eating at their table from then on, taking up residence in Cas’s old seat.  She seemed to get along with Dean’s friends, although Dean could tell that none of them were incredibly comfortable with her around as without.  He could understand why things might be awkward – Lisa was from the more popular, sporty crowd at school while Dean and his friends pretty much stuck with newspaper and were a bit odd, but he hoped they could all get along eventually.

It was one day walking home from school, when Lisa had softball practice, that Cas finally said something to Dean.

“So this thing with Lisa is actually going to continue, isn’t it?” Cas asked, not quite able to mask the annoyance in his voice. 

Dean stopped walking, stomach wrenching at the attitude he had never gotten from Cas, only having heard it previously aimed toward Gabriel or one of the less able writers on the paper.

“What?” Dean asked, hoping he had misunderstood Cas’s question.

“You, Lisa,” Cas repeated as he turned back toward Dean, a few paces ahead of him.  “Are you guys, like, dating for good now?”

Dean thought about it for a minute before nodding.  “Yeah, we are.  I like her, man.”

“Why?” was Cas’s immediate question, but he backtracked quickly.  “Nevermind, sorry.  I just, I don’t know.  Didn’t really think it felt right, that’s all.  I’m happy for you.”

With that, Cas turned and continued walking, leaving Dean dumbfounded in the middle of the sidewalk. 

He couldn’t explain the feeling bubbling in his gut – was he angry with Cas for challenging his relationship with Lisa, or was he happy that Cas was upset in the first place?

 

* * *

 

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, November 3, 2017**

Bi-Line

_ What do you do when your best friend and significant other don’t get along? _

_ I think my best friend hates my girlfriend, and it’s making things really awkward.  Now I don’t know what to do – I can’t talk to him about her, or vice versa, or they both get really snippy.  Obviously they’re two of the most important people in my life, and I want them to get along. _

_ It’s rough, you guys.  One day, you take a girl out and think, hey, this could work out.  You go for it, thinking that your friend would be happy that you found someone, that you’re happy… _

_ Maybe I’ll get them together, just the three of us, and see if they can get along better.  Maybe they just haven’t had the chance to get to know each other, see each other one-on-one. _

_ Yeah, let’s give that a try. _

* * *

Dean did his best to get Cas and Lisa together, but every time he tried to invite them to do something, one or the other of them would have an excuse.

First, Cas couldn’t go get milkshakes after school because he was tutoring someone in the library.  “Who?” Dean had asked, getting a quick, “You wouldn’t know them,” in response, letting him think that there wasn’t actually anyone being tutored.

Then Dean tried to get Lisa to come to the paper one morning, to see how it all worked behind the scenes.  No, she couldn’t do that because that was the day they had morning workouts for softball, and coach wouldn’t let her miss.

Did Cas want to go to one of Lisa’s games?  No.

Did Lisa want to have a group movie night?  No.

Dean didn’t know what to do, none of his ideas got him anywhere, and he was close to giving up.

During lunch one day, Lisa told Dean she needed to go speak to one of her teachers about a test, and was unable to sit with him.  He gave her a smile and a kiss on the cheek before heading in the lunchroom, immediately getting into a conversation with his friends.

Lisa watched him from the door, taking note that Cas wasn’t sitting at their lunch table yet.  She turned, heading for the lockers toward the front of the school, where she was pretty positive she’d find Cas.

He was right where she thought he’d be, swapping books out before he went to lunch.

“Hey, Cas!” Lisa called, heading over toward him.  Cas looked up, confused at why Lisa was approaching him, completely on purpose.

He turned to her, closing his locker and slinging his backpack over one shoulder.  “Hey, Lisa, what can I do for you?” he asked politely, skeptical of the conversation.

Lisa stopped right in front of him, huffing out a breath before she began to talk.  “So you know that Dean and I have been dating now for a few weeks, and it’s been really great.  I know you’re his best friend, and have been for a while, but you need to understand how important Dean and this relationship are to me.”

Cas nodded slowly, wondering where Lisa was going next.

“Dean has been so caught up with trying to get us to hang out, the three of us, but that doesn’t need to happen.  He’s obviously attached to you a little too much for just being friends, and I think it’d be best for him and for us if you just backed off for a while.”

Cas’s heart clenched in anger at Lisa’s words and the hair bristled along his skin.  Lisa wanted  _ him _ to back off?   _ She _ was the one who was stealing his best friend.

Lisa must have taken Cas’s silence as agreement, because she smiled and gave a curt nod.  “I’m so glad you understand, Cas.  Remember, this is what’s best for all of us, and we’re doing this for Dean.”

Lisa spun on her heel, heading away from Cas.  She missed the pissed off and heartbroken look on his face, and the way he turned to walk out the front door of the school, too upset to head in to the lunchroom now.

After school, Dean looked around for Cas, wondering why he hadn’t come to lunch today.  Not only had Lisa ditched him for some teacher, but Cas had never showed, either.  He hadn’t even answered any of Dean’s texts asking where he was.

Dean was looking around the crowd of students leaving when Lisa came up to him, pulling his face down for a kiss.  He smiled into her lips, his hand cupping her face gently before she pulled away.

“Hey, Lis, what was that for?” Dean asked before he noticed that Lisa seemed upset.  “Are you okay?”

Lisa looked around for a moment, pulling Dean away from the crowd to sit on a bench.  “No, yes, I mean…I don’t know.  I shouldn’t say…”

Lisa turned slightly away from Dean, making him grab her hands in support.  “You know you can tell me anything, Lisa, right?  That’s what I’m here for.”

Lisa took a deep breath, turning back toward Dean.  She had tears forming in her eyes, making Dean worry even more and squeeze her hands.  “What’s wrong?”

Lisa looked down before she started talking.  “I don’t want to cause any problems, and I know he’s your best friend…”

“Cas?” Dean immediately asked, looking around them to see if Cas was around.  “What happened?”

“He just, I don’t know,” Lisa said dramatically.  “He’s not very nice to me, Dean.  Today he slammed my locker, and earlier this week he spilled some lunch on my lap…and we have a class together where he nearly always passes notes about me with some of his friends.  He just…he hates me, Dean, and it makes me uncomfortable.”

Dean couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  Cas?  Hating someone?  He’d never heard Cas say a bad word about anyone, except his brother Gabriel, in all the years they’d been friends.  How could Cas be mean to Lisa, Dean’s girlfriend?

Of course, there had been that strange conversation toward the beginning of their relationship about why Dean would like Lisa…maybe he actually didn’t like her.

“I’m so sorry, Lis, I had no idea.  I can talk to him…”

“No!” Lisa interrupted, squeezing Dean’s hands.  “If you talk to him, it’ll just be worse.  I just, I don’t think I want to see him or be around him anymore than I have to.  And I’d rather us just stay away from him, if that’s okay with you?”

Lisa scooted closer to Dean on the bench.  “I don’t want Cas to mess up what we have, Dean.  I really like you, and I like where this relationship is going.”

Lisa’s hand moved to rub at Dean’s chest, a comforting gesture that had him sighing.  “Okay, Lis, whatever you want,” Dean responded, still confused at why Cas would be mean to Lisa, but wanting to make her happy.

He could keep his friendship and relationship separate, right?


	8. Manipulated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas are co-editors of their school newspaper their senior year. When Dean begins an anonymous column in the paper, Bi-Line, discussing his life as a bisexual teen, will Cas figure out it’s him? Will he come out to his friends and family? When his feelings about Cas change, will he be brave enough to show Cas the real him?
> 
> author: just-another-busy-fangirl  
> artist: koisocks

Cas was avoiding Dean.  Dean could tell – Cas stopped walking to school with him each morning.  The first few days Cas had his mom or brother let Dean know that Cas was either already gone, or running late, or any other excuse to not have them walk together.  After a few days of that, Dean just stopped going to Cas’s house in the morning to even ask.

At the paper, things were beyond awkward.  They were still co-editors, but it was as if their job was just split in two between them – they stopped working on everything together and began pulling their weight as individuals.  Their friends noticed the change, but none of them brought it up, not knowing what to say for fear of making matters worse.

When Cas showed up at lunch, he sat in his new place next to Ash and never took his nose out of his book.  He never joined the conversations, merely eating and reading quietly until lunch was over.  Some days he didn’t even come to the lunchroom, instead staying somewhere else and easing the awkwardness.

Finally, the week before Thanksgiving break, Dean had had enough.  For years, Cas had come to his house for “Thanksgiving Eve,” spending quality time during the holidays with the Winchesters.  Dean didn’t think that was going to fly this year, with the rift that had come between them, and talked to his mom.

“Yeah, Mom, Cas told me his family was actually going out of town this Thanksgiving, so he’s not going to join us on Wednesday,” Dean said as he helped Mary with dishes one night. 

“Oh, that’s just too bad,” Mary replied, shooting a sad look toward Dean.  “We’ll miss him, you be sure to tell him that.”

“I will,” Dean said as he turned away, not wanting to make eye contact with his mother about this.  She would surely be able to read into the miserable look on Dean’s face, knowing that something else was wrong and that he was lying to her.

The next morning at the paper, the last day before break, Dean cornered Cas.

“Look, I don’t know exactly what’s up, but I think it’s best if you don’t come over on Wednesday for dinner,” Dean blurted out, maybe a little too loud but needing to get the words out before he chickened out.

Cas looked up at Dean from the layout he was working on, sadness in his eyes.  He studied Dean’s face, seeing the flustered expression mixed with hurt.

Finally Cas nodded, looking back down at the board.  “That’s probably best.  Have a good break, Dean.”

Cas turned away quickly, grabbing his backpack and heading out the door, no goodbye to anyone in the room and not even finishing what he’d been working on.  Dean stared at the door that Cas had walked through, confusion and worry seeping through his veins.

Had he really lost his best friend?

Dean didn’t see Cas for the rest of the day, which didn’t really surprise him.  Lisa sat with him at lunch, but was unable to cheer Dean up from his funk he’d fallen into.  When lunch was over, she kissed his cheek, letting him know she’d see him after school.

Dean was a zombie for the rest of the day and didn’t get any schoolwork done at all, which wasn’t really all that different from everyone else at school – everyone was excited for the full week off for break.  In Dean’s opinion, the break was completely and totally necessary – a week away from the drama of Cas and Lisa was exactly what he needed.

Trying to be drama-free, he spent all day Saturday with Lisa.  He took her to the movies, then to the diner for milkshakes.  Even though they saw an awesome action movie – Lisa let Dean choose – he still couldn’t come out of his sour mood.

They went back to Dean’s house for a little while, both of them hoping to get a little bit of alone time to cheer Dean up, but Lisa left soon after when Dean couldn’t get himself interested in kissing her in the least.  Dean found himself laying on his bed, studying his ceiling for hours as his brain emptied before Mary stuck her head in, wishing him goodnight.

Dean went on a walk the next day, wandering the neighborhood and finding himself passing Cas’s house twice, not on purpose.  Both times he looked sadly up at the front door, wishing he had the nerve to go up to it and ask Cas why they were fighting, why things were so wrong between them.

He couldn’t bring himself to go up the front path, though, and eventually made his way to Lisa’s house.  She let him in, made him lunch, and pulled up a movie, all the while chatting his ear off about one thing or another. 

He didn’t mind – if Lisa kept talking, it meant that he didn’t have to.

It wasn’t until the fourth day of break, four full days into Dean’s funk and all the while hanging out with Lisa, that she finally asked him about it.

“What’s wrong with you, Dean?” she demanded, a little too harshly to be taken as kind.  “You’ve been so quiet and moody lately, what’s going on?”

Dean sighed, fingers running through his hair to gather his thoughts.  “It’s just – this whole thing with Cas,” he began, leaning back into the couch and looking up at the ceiling.  “The way you said he was being mean to you, and then he just starts shutting me out….we’ve been best friends since forever, and I don’t know why he suddenly changed.”

Anger welled up inside of Dean, anger at the situation, anger at Cas…but it was mixed with the worry and confusion about his best friend that had been lurking at the surface since Lisa first talked to him.

When she hadn’t responded, he looked over at her, seeing her biting her lip and wringing her hands together.  “Lis?”

She stood, turning away from Dean.  “That’s what’s been bothering you, really?” she asked quietly, her tone of voice making him sit up, leaning forward to respond.

“Yeah, I mean, I  _ know _ Cas.  He’s a good guy, I just don’t know what’s up with him.  I have no idea why he would be mean to you, then completely shut me out.  It’s not like him at all.”

Lisa paced in front of Dean a couple times, muttering to herself before stopping and facing Dean.

“Look,” she said, brow furrowed.  “I didn’t realize how much this would affect you, I mean, I just wanted you to concentrate on  _ me _ and our relationship, and stop talking about Cas all the time.  But now you’re still just concentrated on  _ him _ and it’s not working out the way it was supposed to.”

“What?” 

Lisa sat down in the chair across from Dean, far away from him and where she’d been snuggled into his side only moments before.  “I lied.”

Dean shook his head, trying to follow.  “Lied about what?”

She sighed, looking away from him.  “Cas was never mean to me, he never was anything to me.  I just wanted you to concentrate on  _ us _ , and that wasn’t happening with you hanging out with Cas all the time, or talking about him when you weren’t with him.  He was in the way of  _ us _ , so I told him to back off and told you he was mean to me.”

Dean processed everything that Lisa said, realizing the entire time that she’d manipulated him into pushing away his best friend.

“You  _ what _ ?” Dean roared once his mind had settled, standing up from the couch with a rush of adrenaline.  “All of that was a lie?  I’ve pushed him away for  _ nothing _ ?”

“Not for nothing!” Lisa replied, standing and reaching forward for Dean’s hands.  “For  _ us _ .”

He wrenched himself from her grip, stepping away from her.  He saw the sincerity on her face – sincerity that was telling him how she purposefully ruined the most important relationship in his life for one that was obviously fleeting.  “There is no  _ us _ , Lisa.”

With that, he turned and stormed out of her house, not replying as he heard her calling after him. 

Maybe Cas was right about Lisa all along.

* * *

 

The rest of Thanksgiving break passed bleakley.  Dean had absolutely no idea how to talk to Cas about what Lisa had done, as he was just as ashamed at his own actions as he was at Lisa’s manipulation.

Lisa tried to call Dean multiple times, but he never answered.  All he told his family was that he had broken up with her, and that was that.

Mary was disappointed, but supportive of Dean’s decision.  She also just happened to make his favorite foods each day, hoping to cheer him up as much as she could.

Dean mindlessly played video games with Sam, not speaking but not really needing to.  Sam knew that Dean needed to brood, so he let his brother be silent, filling the void by chatting about unimportant things and yelling insults as Dean beat him at their games, hoping that the normalcy would help Dean.

Their usually lively Thanksgiving Eve and Thanksgiving Day dinners weren’t as much fun as they usually were, even with Samuel and Deanna coming around to join.  Dean was quiet, lost in his thoughts about how to talk to Cas again.

Finally, on the last day of break, Dean found himself walking to Cas’s house.  He stood on the porch, not knocking on the door but just standing there, for long enough that Mrs. Novak opened it.

“Dean?” she asked, stepping onto the mat.  “Can I help you?”

Dean looked down at his feet, still ashamed at the way he’d been treating Cas and unsure of what Mrs. Novak might have heard about it all.  “Um, is Cas here?” he asked quietly, meeting her eyes again at the end of his question.

Mrs. Novak sighed, proving to Dean that she knew something of what was going on, if not everything.  “Yes, Dean, he is.  Should I go get him?”

Dean thought for a moment, stuffing his hands into his pockets before nodding.  “Yes, I think I need to say something to him.”

She nodded, motioning for Dean to wait on the porch while she went to find Cas.  He sat on the wicker bench, a place he’d spent countless hours sitting with Cas for years and years.  They’d sit there and watch the world go by, talking about everything and nothing.  The memories were good ones, and Dean hoped they could reconcile on that wicker bench.

After a few minutes he heard footsteps on the wood porch, looking up to see Cas standing in front of him.  Dean nearly had to choke back a sob, seeing Cas so sullen.  His face was slightly pale and he had bags under his eyes, proving to Dean how miserable he’d been over break.

“Cas –” Dean started, having to look away because of the emotion held in just the one word.

Dean saw out of the corner of his eye as Cas moved to the bench next to him, sitting down gently and waiting for Dean.

Cas knew that Dean needed some time to compose himself before he spoke.

Finally, Dean was ready.  “Cas, I’m so sorry.”

Cas sighed next to him before answering.  “For what?”

Dean looked over at Cas, seeing his friend watching his face carefully.  Cas was the one person who could read Dean’s emotions through his eyes without fail, so Dean made sure to stay open for Cas to see everything that he truly meant. 

“For everything the past few weeks.  Lisa, she lied to me.  She said you were being mean to her, taunting her, and she asked me to stay away from you.  I don’t know why she did it, but she had some messed up opinion that it was for me and her – the only way she and I were going to work was if you and I weren’t close.”

As the words tumbled from Dean’s mouth, Cas’s features softened slightly.  He was still on guard, but finally he had an explanation for Dean’s behavior.

“She told me basically the same thing,” Cas admitted, watching the anger flash across Dean’s face.  “She said that I should stay away from you, make sure that you were happy  _ with her _ .”

“What?” Dean said, standing and walking across the porch to get his frustrated energy out.  “How could she do this, man?”

Cas sighed and shook his head, leaning back into the couch.  “I had a feeling something was up, but couldn’t bring it up to you.  I mean, you did listen to her, after all.”

Dean looked back at Cas, seeing that while there was now understanding between the two of them, Cas was still hurt by Dean’s actions.

“Cas, I’m so sorry,” Dean said, moving to sit next to Cas once more.  He nearly reached his hand out to grab Cas’s, but thought the gesture would be a little too  _ intimate _ for their friendship.  The instinct was still there, though, and he tucked that thought away for later review.

“I know you are, Dean, but I’m not sure if sorry is enough.”

Cas stood, walking back to his front door, hand on the knob.  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said sadly, dismissing Dean as he went back inside his house.

Dean sat on Cas’s porch for a little while longer before he got up and walked home slowly, brain whirring through emotions the entire time.

* * *

 

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, December 1, 2017**

Bi-Line

_ Well, it’s only been a week off of school and I’ve officially screwed everything up.  I’ve lost my girlfriend and my best friend, but it was all my own fault for falling into the trap of manipulation. _

_ I’m not sorry I broke up with my girlfriend, let’s get that straight.  This is one of the reasons why girls aren’t my sole focus – sometimes they’re tricky as hell.  Guys are usually much easier. _

_ Except my best friend – can I even call him my best friend anymore? – is also teetering on the edge of probably hating me forever, never forgiving me to what I’ve done to him, and I’ve got to make sure we are okay. _

_ I can’t lose everyone in one fail swoop, I just can’t. _

_ Sorry it’s a short note this week, but if I write much more I might combust. _


	9. Sam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas are co-editors of their school newspaper their senior year. When Dean begins an anonymous column in the paper, Bi-Line, discussing his life as a bisexual teen, will Cas figure out it’s him? Will he come out to his friends and family? When his feelings about Cas change, will he be brave enough to show Cas the real him?
> 
> author: just-another-busy-fangirl  
> artist: koisocks

Dean threw his backpack on the ground by the front door as he got home, heading for the kitchen to grab a snack.  Sam was sitting at the breakfast table, eating a granola bar and glancing at the school paper in front of him.

Dean’s stomach twisted in knots at the soul-baring he’d done in his column this week – when had the column become his own personal diary?  He really needed to be more careful what he wrote, before people figured out it was him.

“Dean,” Sam said as Dean’s head was in the pantry, looking for something good to eat.  Dean grunted in response, grabbing an apple before turning to his brother.

Sam was holding the paper up, Dean’s column facing him.

“It’s you, isn’t it?” Sam asked simply, serious look on his face.  Dean knew by that look that there was no getting out of this conversation, no brushing off his brother’s words with a joke.

He nodded, looking down as he took a bite of his apple.  He chewed slowly, waiting for Sam’s exclamation of confusion or disgust at his brother being bisexual.

The next thing Dean knew, Sam’s gangly arms were wrapped around his shoulders and his brother was pressing his face into Dean’s neck.  “I’m so proud of you, Dean,” Sam mumbled, and Dean released a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding.

A weight seemed to lift off his shoulders at Sam’s hug and words of acceptance, and the apple fell from Dean’s hands as he hugged Sam back.  The younger was nearly Dean’s height now, having grown a few inches since school started, and Dean was able to hide his face in Sam’s shoulder.

He wasn’t going to cry, of course not, but the intense emotions coursing through him made his throat clog up.  Sam squeezed him tight after another moment before patting his back, pulling away.

“Mom or Dad walk in on us hugging, they’re going to send us to an insane asylum,” he joked, hitting Dean’s shoulder.  Dean laughed in response, the wet sound getting stuck a bit in his throat.

Sam picked up Dean’s dropped apple, walking to the sink to wash it off before he handed it back to Dean.  Dean took it with a small smile, nodding at Sam as they both sat down at the bar.

“So, what can I do to help with Cas?”

 

* * *

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, December 8, 2017**

Bi-Line

_ Lawrence High School, be happy for me.  I have come out to the first person in my immediate circle: my brother.  _

_ It’s as if a weight has been lifted from my shoulders, this secret I’ve been bearing finally dissolving just a little bit.  He was more supportive than I could have ever asked or hoped.  I couldn’t imagine it being any better, and now I know for sure that there’s someone out there who knows me for me, and still loves me for it. _

_ Hey, bro: thank you. _

* * *

 

School had started up again in full force, the few weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas break packed with projects and tests.  While Dean and Cas had seemed to understand each other after their conversation on Cas’s porch, they still weren’t back to normal.

Dean decided to give Cas some space, on purpose and with a positive reason this time.

He said hello to Cas every chance he could and they went back to sitting next to each other at lunch, since Lisa wasn’t welcome at their table anymore.  The only mention of her was on the first day back: Pam asked where she’d run off to.

It only took one dark look from Dean for the table to realize that the relationship was over, and that it hadn’t ended on a good note.

No one asked about Lisa after that.

Dean hoped in the back of his mind that Cas would come around, seeing that Dean was sticking with him, albeit from a distance.  Maybe their friendship could be saved, or at least Dean hoped with all his heart that it could be.

He realized in their time away from each other how much he had missed Cas, and how important Cas was in his life.

A few days into the carefully balanced Dean-Cas friendship, Sam confronted Dean about them.  “Seriously, dude, you’ve got to talk to him,” Sam said. 

“I already apologized, Sam,” Dean responded, trying to cut his brother off.  “I’m giving him space.”

Sam groaned, rolling his eyes.  “You give him too much space, he might just float away for good.  I’m not dealing with you if he is gone again.”

Dean pushed Sam, knowing deep down that he was right but not able to follow through with Sam’s advice.

Sam knew it, too, which is why he found Cas the next day.

“Hey, Cas,” he said in a friendly manner, hoping he could talk to the older boy without seeming like he was up to something.

He failed, as Cas immediately side-eyed Sam, asking directly, “What do you want, Sam?”

Sam groaned, slumping his shoulders.  “Talk to Dean, please.  He’s really sorry, and while he’d never admit it, he misses you a lot.”  Sam leaned toward Cas, bumping their shoulders in a friendly, teasing way.  “I know you miss him, too.”

Cas sighed, knowing the younger boy was right.  “I do miss him, Sam, but he hurt me.  How could he have just left me out to dry, believing everything Lisa said?  I thought he’d know me better than that.”

Sam nodded, looking sad at Cas’s words.  “You’re right, Cas.  I totally agree, one hundred percent.  But you know how Dean is, he just – he doesn’t always know how to talk to people.  You guys, your friendship, it goes deeper than one fight.  I just wanted to make sure you knew how sorry he is, even when he can’t find the words.”

Cas nodded, squeezing Sam’s shoulder in thanks.  “We’ll see, Sam.  I appreciate you coming to talk to me.”

Sam nodded back, knowing when he was being dismissed.  “Sure thing, Cas.  Let me know if you need anything.”

Cas watched as Sam walked away, grateful that the younger Winchester was much better with words that the elder.

 

* * *

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, December 15, 2017**

Bi-Line

_ Finals week sucks, amirite? _

_ With the stress of grades looming over us all, it’s as if we have no time to be human anymore – merely going through the motions of class, study, test, class, study, test.  Somewhere in there we might get some food and sleep, but those are merely of secondary importance to the passing of our classes this week, right? _

_ Let alone any friendships or relationships that are on the rocks, as we are unable to take any time to talk to anyone about anything except for vocab cards and study guides and school. _

_ This whole week is just awful, to get down to it.  Don’t let the teachers know we think that, though, they might just give us more work and harder tests to spite us! _

_ But seriously, as someone who’s been through finals week a few times in my high school career, here’s my advice: find a study group and quiz each other.  It keeps you on your toes, you learn just as much when you’re teaching someone else as you do when you’re listening, and it keeps you socializing, somewhat.  All positive, in my eyes. _

_ I wish you all luck with your tests, as long as you wish me the same.  If you’re secretly wanting me to fail, right back atcha. _

_ Talk to you all after break! _

* * *

 

The mood of the school in mid-December soured greatly, cold weather forcing everyone to huddle close together any time they were between buildings.  Most of the students were stuck with their noses in books or notecards, hoping and praying to have studied enough to pass their classes.

The lunch table was silent on most days, the only talking between Dean and Cas’s friends were the quick questions of “Do you have that study guide?” or “How do you do this?”

They helped each other as much as they could, Charlie a bit overwhelmed with the questions she was bombarded with, but trying her best to help.  Since many of them were in different grade levels, there weren’t too many who could study together.  Even so, they still studied together, all in the same place, giving each other moral support.  They were all grateful that newspaper didn’t have a final - it was one less class they had to study for.

Dean and Cas, while in most of the same classes, just different periods of the day, didn’t set up a study schedule like they usually did.  Cas didn’t offer, and Dean wasn’t sure if he was in a place to ask Cas for help, after all they’d been through. 

Sam had told Dean about his conversation he’d had with Cas, telling Dean he mostly felt betrayed at this point.  Years of friendship, and all that.

Dean had to admit that Cas was completely right about his feelings, and couldn’t see anything that he could do about it now.

Finally, the week of finals hell finished.  It was snowing as the last final let out, which meant that most students bundled up and went straight home, no dawdling outside of the school doors to celebrate their freedom, which usually happened at the beginning of other breaks.

Dean stood for a minute on the front lawn of the school, glancing around to see if he could spot Cas heading home. 

He didn’t, and he also didn’t know what he’d do if he did see him.  Would he walk home with him?  Would he just wave, wishing him a Merry Christmas?

Would he even see Cas over the break, or would he go three weeks without his best friend?

That thought had Dean turning toward home, walking with vigor.  This would be the first holiday break in years that he didn’t already have a plan to spend almost every day with Cas, and the thought of that had him bristling.

What was he going to do?  He couldn’t just be without Cas for that long, but he had no ideas for how to fix it.

* * *

 

The break started like any other, with Dean rushing out to buy Christmas presents for his family and friends, having put all of the shopping off until the last minute.  He dragged Sam to the mall with him, insisting his brother help him choose gifts for family, because Dean never felt he was good enough at picking gifts.

Sam rolled his eyes but helped all the same, the two of them going holiday shopping having become a sort of tradition through the years in and of itself.  Sam even picked out his own gift from Dean, a new video game that they would surely play together over break.

Dean hesitated in his gift-buying for his friends, easily finding something for Charlie, Benny, and Pam, but stopping short when coming to Cas.

Sam saw the look on Dean’s face as he stood in the bookstore, knowing there was something for Cas there but not knowing what.

“Dude, you’ve gotta get him his gift yourself, I’m not helping,” Sam insisted, pushing Dean into the store.  “You know Cas better than anyone.  You can find something.”

Dean looked back at his brother, helpless and sad.  Would he even find the time to give Cas his gift, seeing as he hadn’t talked to him at all since the break began?

Sam sat on a bench outside waiting for Dean to finish, occupying himself with an ice cream cone, even in the dead of Kansas winter.  Finally Dean came out of the store, unwilling to tell Sam what he’d ended up getting.

The two of them walked to the car in silence, Cas’s gift hanging between them like a conversation blocker.  Finally, when they got in the car, Dean turning the heat up as much as it would go, he spoke.

“I miss him, Sam.”

Sam nodded.  “I know.”

That was all that was said, but an understanding fell over the two of them, the need for Cas in Dean’s life rearing its head.

A few hours later, their group text buzzed, Pam insisting that everyone come over for a Christmas Post-Eve party on the night of the 26 th , as she wouldn’t wait until school started back up to see them all.

When Sam told Mary that they would be going, she merely responded, “Of course you are, sweetie, what else would you be doing?”

Dean met Sam’s eyes, both of them knowing that Cas would be at the party and that would be his opportunity to talk to him, one-on-one. 


	10. Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas are co-editors of their school newspaper their senior year. When Dean begins an anonymous column in the paper, Bi-Line, discussing his life as a bisexual teen, will Cas figure out it’s him? Will he come out to his friends and family? When his feelings about Cas change, will he be brave enough to show Cas the real him?
> 
> author: just-another-busy-fangirl  
> artist: koisocks

Christmas came and went, holiday festivities keeping Dean’s mind occupied and off of his drama with Cas.  A few times he found himself staring off into space, wondering what Cas was doing at that moment, but Sam helped a lot by keeping Dean from getting too wrapped up in his own thoughts.

The day after Christmas, Sam was excited about going to another party at Pam’s.  All of the insecurities and doubts about seeing Cas again came rushing back to Dean, and he found himself not wanting to go.

“Come on, Dean, it would be completely weird for me to go without you,” Sam insisted when he found his brother unbathed and laying in bed, completely consumed with potential horrible situation after situation that he had been imagining all day long.

“You’ve got to see him sometime - better now than at school, right?” he continued, walking over to Dean’s bed and picking up a pillow.  Before Dean could react, Sam had slammed the pillow down onto Dean’s face, making a grunt of annoyance and slight pain come from his mouth.

“Hey!” Dean yelled, grabbing the pillow and throwing it in Sam’s direction, but his brother was already out the door.

“Get showered, Dean, you stink!” Sam called as he walked down the hall.  Dean groaned, but got up, heading for the bathroom as he sniffed under his arm.

Yeah, he did stink.

Dean showered and shaved before he found himself standing in only his towel, staring into his closet.  For as many clothes as he owned, he couldn’t find anything to wear.

Mary walked by Dean’s open door, seeing her son’s back as he stood there.  “Dean?” she asked, wondering what was wrong.  Dean turned, giving his mom a half-smile.  “What’s up?” she continued, taking a couple steps into his room and leaning against his dresser.

Dean shrugged, not knowing exactly what to say to her.  “Getting ready for Pam’s party, just deciding what to wear,” he answered simply, turning back to his closet.

Mary walked over to him, squeezing his shoulder in comfort before reaching for clothes.  She looked through shirts as she talked.  “Is this about Cas?”

Dean’s eyes widened, shocked that his mom would ask a question like that.  Was it that obvious?

Mary laughed.  “Don’t look so startled, baby.  I’ve noticed that it’s been quite a while since Cas was here, I just wondered what was going on with you two.”

She grabbed a shirt from the hanger, handing it to Dean.  It was Cas’s favorite shirt, he took note, and he wondered for a second whether Mary knew that or not.

Dean shrugged as he pulled the shirt over his head, walking to his dresser to put boxers on under his towel.  “I guess, I don’t know.  We’re in a funk, Ma,” Dean replied.  He took his towel off and traded it for the jeans Mary was now holding, finishing getting dressed.  “I don’t know what to do.”

Mary smiled, cupping Dean’s face in her hands.  “Just talk to him, sweetie.  The two of you have been friends for a long time, I’m sure you can work things out.”

Dean nodded before Mary kissed his cheek, heading out of his room and closing his door.  He sighed, grateful that his mother was so observant and supported him, even if she didn’t know the exact situation.  He finished getting ready, styling his hair and slipping on shoes, hoping for the best as he went to find Sam for their walk to Pam’s.

When the two of them got there, Pam was already deep in hostess-mode.  A foosball tournament had been scheduled on the board, brackets drawn up with everyone who would be coming.  She had some movie already playing on the large TV, obviously meant to be background entertainment and not the focus of the evening, at least for now.

Dean automatically looked around the room for Cas, seeing him sitting with Charlie, who was on her computer.  Cas looked up as Dean and Sam came in, but didn’t acknowledge him, turning quickly back to whatever Charlie was doing on her screen.

Dean sighed, deciding to give him some time before he approached, preferably alone and without an audience, even if it was an audience of their friends.

Dean grabbed a drink, some obnoxious fruity thing that Pam had concocted.  He sipped it as Benny talked to him about the upcoming college football games, something Dean didn’t particularly follow, but could nod and humph enough that it seemed like he was interested.

It was about a half hour after Dean arrived that Pam announced the foosball tournament was about to begin.  Dean glanced up at the board again, not having looked at it since they came in.  He groaned.

He and Cas were paired as partners, as they usually were.

They weren’t going to play in the first game, thankfully, so he had a little bit of time before he’d be shoulder-to-shoulder with Cas.  He could get himself ready for that, right?

The first game ended quickly, however, with Sam and Charlie not having much snuff against Benny and Pam.  Ash and Jo stepped up to one side, Pam calling for Dean and Cas to come play.

The two of them met eyes as they came up to the table, both obviously cautious about the whole situation.  Dean nodded as he put his hands on his handles – the midfield bars were always his.  Cas went automatically to the goalie and defensive players, years of playing together making them work well.

This game was longer than the first, with Ash being pretty good competition but no match in the end for Dean and Cas.  They worked together flawlessly, wrists flipping the little mini soccer ball from offense to defense between them with ease.

When the winning goal was shot, Dean let out a loud, “Yeah!” and turned to Cas, hand up for a high-five.  Cas hit Dean’s hand, their automatic responses overtaking any awkwardness that had been there before.

The awkwardness returned, however, when they both realized what they’d done.  Luckily, there was no time to say anything as Benny and Pam came back to the table, winners of each game facing off.

It was a close one, but Dean and Cas beat Benny and Pam as well, nodding when Pam announced that it was time for a movie.  Everyone wandered over toward the seating area of the room, leaving Dean and Cas to themselves by the snacks.

“Hey,” Dean said lamely as Cas reached for the pretzels.

Cas nodded in hello, chewing slowly.

Dean decided that Cas’s silence gave him the opportunity to get what he needed to say out.  “Look, I wanted to apologize again, Cas.  For everything.  For believing Lisa over you, letting myself be manipulated into abandoning my best friend…it really sucked – I really sucked.  I hope you can forgive me someday, ‘cause Cas, I miss my best friend.”

Dean stuffed some pretzels in his mouth when he was done, knowing that if he didn’t do that he might just keep blabbing his mouth off.

Finally Cas spoke, very softly.  “I know, Dean, I miss you, too.”  Dean let out a sigh of relief at those words.  “It hurt, like I said before.  I would have thought that you’d stick with me after all these years of being friends, but I get it.  She manipulated me, too.”

Dean nodded, not knowing what to say.

Cas nudged his shoulder, small smile on his face.  “Should we go join in on the movie, before people realize we’re having a broment?”

Dean laughed, nodding.  He grabbed the pretzels and they headed to their couch, Dean not hesitating at sitting close to Cas like usual.  He had what seemed like ages of Cas-time to make up for, and feeling Cas next to him during the movie would help.

Sam smiled at them across the room, giving Dean a knowing nod when they met eyes.  He was obviously happy his brother had gotten all his drama taken care of.

 

* * *

 

For as much time as Dean and Cas spent apart during the first half of the holiday break, the exact opposite was true from Pam’s Christmas Post-Eve party on.  There was hardly a minute where one wasn’t at the other’s house, but they at least hopped back and forth.

If they wanted to play video games, it was Cas’s house.  If they wanted to watch a movie, it was Dean’s.  If they wanted to walk around in the snow, they wandered the neighborhood, talking and making up for lost time.

A few days into their make-up, Sam walked through the living room as they yelled at the television.  He clapped his hand on Cas’s shoulder as he passed by, a simple, “Glad you’re back, man,” all he needed to say.

Cas looked up at Sam and then over at Dean.  “I’m glad, too, Sam.”

Dean grinned before turning back to the TV, not wanting to have too much of a moment.  He had found his stomach twisting more and more when he and Cas locked eyes, and it was not in a bad way.  After so much time away from Cas, Dean was sure he was just happy to be with him again.

Nothing else strange, of course, nothing at all.

Pam, ever the planner, decided to put on a New Year’s Eve party after the success of the Christmas Post-Eve party, and the whole group found themselves back in her basement sooner than they’d expected, talking and laughing about anything and everything.

Finally Pam decided they needed to play a “New-Year’s-Eve-y” game, so she had them circle up, Never Have I Ever on the bill.

They played with counting down fingers, not drinking, as Pam’s mom was upstairs and they didn’t want to cause too much of a ruckus and bring her down to check on them.  The group knew each other pretty well, after being friends for so long, and the game quickly became an opportunity for every person to out their friends.

There was the normal things said – who’s kissed who, who still sleeps with a blankie, who has failed a class.  People in the group came and went getting snacks and drink refills, so it was all very casual.

Jo’s turn came around, and she pulled one out that she usually did: “Never have I ever liked someone in this room.”

A few fingers went down, Dean’s included – it was no secret that he and Pam had hooked up once upon a time, and he usually counted that.  Now, though, his finger went down with a thought in the back of his head that he and Cas seemed closer than ever, and maybe, just maybe, he liked his best friend as more than a best friend.

As Dean looked over at Cas to see most of his fingers still raised, Cas stood, heading for the snacks.  Dean’s eyes followed, curious as to the moment that Cas chose to refill.

Was it a coincidence, or did he not want to react to Jo’s statement?

Dean found himself preoccupied for the rest of the evening, not knowing what to think about his friend.


	11. Not a Joke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas are co-editors of their school newspaper their senior year. When Dean begins an anonymous column in the paper, Bi-Line, discussing his life as a bisexual teen, will Cas figure out it’s him? Will he come out to his friends and family? When his feelings about Cas change, will he be brave enough to show Cas the real him?
> 
> author: just-another-busy-fangirl  
> artist: koisocks

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, January 12, 2018**

Bi-Line 

_Aaaand we’re back.  I sincerely hope that your holiday break went well, as mine sure did._

_It may have had a rocky start, but what are the holidays without a little drama?  All for the best, I suppose, as it quickly settled itself into a wonderful break._

_I also realized something over the break, on New Year’s Eve.  While spending time with some of my closest friends, I had a realization.  I think I have fallen in love, and I have no idea when or how that happened._

_It’s as though the puzzle pieces just fell into place, something one person said had me thinking about someone else, and BAM!_

_Let’s just say that I have a lot of things on my mind, but unfortunately writing this column isn’t going to help me figure them all out, so I’ll let you go._

_Have a great second semester, my friends!_

 

* * *

  

School started back up swiftly enough, quicker than anyone had really wanted it to.  Grades were posted for first semester, letting all the students know what exactly their fall had meant to them academically.  For many students, that meant buckling down and working harder second semester.

For others, they settled into the same old routines.

Dean and Cas went back to normal, which Dean was grateful for.  They walked to school together again, worked together at the paper again, and all around were better.

Of course, Dean had this nagging feeling in the back of his mind that Cas was looking really good lately and he may have laughed harder at Cas’s jokes than usual, but he did his best to push that aside so that things could be normal.

“Funny about the column today, eh, guys?” Pam asked at the lunch table the day of their first print second semester.  “Looks like somebody went to a grand party on New Year’s Eve, just like we had!”

The table chuckled at Pam’s hidden request for praise about her parties, going on with eating or whatever else they were doing instead of commenting like she was hoping for.  Their silence let Pam continue.

“I mean, it seems as though our little game of Never Have I Ever could have been the instigator of the writer’s realization, right?  So who is it?  Come on, fess up.”  Pam looked around the table at everyone, a glint in her eyes.  She landed on Cas.

“Oh, Cas, come on.  Admit it: you’re the secret writer!” she exclaimed, finger pointing toward Cas.  Dean’s, and everyone else’s, eyes went to Cas, who looked like a deer in headlights with a cookie hanging half out of his mouth and head half down as he was reading seconds before.

“What?” Cas asked, looking to Dean for help.  “Not me, I swear.”

Dean gulped, nervous at how close Pam was to being right.  She could have just as easily pointed her finger at him, as Dean and Cas were only sitting a few inches apart from each other.

“Ah, I figured,” Pam responded, laughing.  “We all know it’s Benny, anyways.”

Benny’s grunt of surprise had everyone else laughing, all eyes moving away from Cas and Dean.  Dean elbowed Cas, earning the blue eyes back on him.  “You’re all good, no worries, Cas,” Dean said in support, hoping that it was the right thing to say.

Cas slipped him a small smile and nodded, eyes back to his book.

Dean wouldn’t admit that he was watching his friend closely enough to know that Cas’s eyes weren’t moving across the pages or turning them at all, not reading one word for the rest of lunch.

 

* * *

 

Sam cornered Dean that evening at home as he was doing his homework.  He walked right into Dean’s room, without even knocking, and laid down on his bed.

Dean stared at his brother, confusion on his face.  “What are you doing, Sammy?” he asked rudely, hoping to get Sam to leave.

“What was that article about today, Dean?” Sam asked back, grabbing a ball from Dean’s night stand and tossing it into the air, eyes not on Dean’s face.

Dean flubbed, his shoulders going up in a half-shrug.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, dude,” he tried to say, but Sam was having none of it.

“Bullshit, Dean.  What was the article about?” Sam replied, face hard and determined as he sat up and glared at Dean.  Dean locked up, which Sam saw immediately.

“Look,” Sam said softer, putting the ball down and scooching so that he was sitting on the corner of the bed nearest Dean at his desk.  “I’m your brother.  I’m the only one, as far as I know, who knows you’re bi.  And I fully, one hundred and fifty percent, support you.  I know you’ve gotta talk it out man, or you’re just gonna flail.  You’ve always been that way, getting stuck in your own head.”

Dean looked down at his hands, Sam’s words hitting him deep.

“Just talk to me, Dean.  That’s what I’m here for,” Sam finished before he sat back, giving Dean a little more space.

Dean leaned back in his chair, running his fingers through his short hair as he gathered his thoughts.  “I think-“ he started, but the words just sounded wrong.

“I _know_ ,” he corrected himself, looking at Sam, “that I like Cas.”

Sam was silent and still for a moment, making Dean nervous.  What if Sam had just said he was alright with Dean being bi, but the reality of Dean liking a guy – his _best friend_ , even – ended up grossing him out?

Surprisingly, Sam grinned and stood, slapping Dean’s shoulder with a laugh.  “Finally!” he said loudly, making him look toward the open door nervously, as if their parents were there listening to their every word.

Sam sat back down, leaning his elbows on his knees.  “Finally,” he repeated, a little softer this time.  “I’ve been waiting for you to man up and admit it, Dean.”

“What?” Dean asked in confusion, looking at Sam like he was a crazy person.

“You’ve been mooning after him for years, it just took you this long to realize that you don’t like him like a best friend, but like a _boy_ friend,” Sam explained, talking as though Dean was a dumb kid.  “I’m so happy for you.  Let me know if I can help with anything, ever.”

Sam stood, heading for Dean’s door before he turned around again.  “Except for the physical stuff, ya know.  I don’t want to know what you two do with all…that.”

With a strange motion of his hands doing something naughty, Sam was out of Dean’s room again, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Once again, Sam left Dean with a weight he’d been carrying lifted from his shoulders, letting Dean feel as though he could float away at how light and happy he was.

 

* * *

  

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, January 19, 2018**

Bi-Line 

_Okay, seriously people.  I’ve never really been one to talk about my feelings, have chick flick moments, but sometimes it’s completely and totally necessary._

_I’m not saying you should go to a therapist, ‘cause God knows therapists don’t care about our little high school problems we’ve got going on here…I’m just saying that it is completely and totally worth it to talk to someone that you know, trust, and who loves you (and won’t be afraid to call you out on your crap) to help you get through some things._

_I finally admitted something out loud to someone close to me the other day, and for the second time this year (the first being when I came out to said person) I felt as though a weight was lifted from my chest._

_Do it.  Find your person and let the words flow.  I promise, it’s worth every effort and potential embarrassment._

 

* * *

 

The rest of January flew by, second semester quickly getting into gear.  Things were, for the most part, back to normal.  Even with Dean’s confession to Sam, he didn’t say anything to Cas, unsure of whether he wanted to rock their relationship any more than it had already been rocked this year.

The last few days of January, people around school began talking about Valentine’s Day.  Dean merely rolled his eyes at the topic, but he couldn’t seem to get away from it.  Pam was gushing about her favorite romantic movies and how they’d have to get together to watch them, Benny was planning his Valentine’s date with Andrea, his new girlfriend, and even Sam was commenting now and then about the holiday.

Of course, Sam was trying to plant seeds for Dean to get the opportunity to say something to Cas, but…

By the time February actually began, Dean was already annoyed with the holiday.

* * *

  

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, February 2, 2018**

Bi-Line 

_So, what’s up with Valentine’s Day?  As you, my loyal readers, know – I am not a fan of the fake, made up, ridiculous cries for showing your crush that you like them.  Why can’t we do this type of thing on an everyday basis, instead of putting it all into one day of lovey-dovey crap?_

_That being said, there’s already been discussion rumbling around these hallowed halls of secret admirers and leaving anonymous gifts this year.  I feel as though this kind of thing could **possibly** have a good purpose – after all, it’s a safe way to show someone you care without putting yourself out there to get hurt, right? _

 

* * *

 

The article had the school buzzing with plans for secret Valentines; anonymous gifts being hidden in lockers, left on classroom chairs, and placed in strategic locations throughout the school.

Dean even eventually got in on it, despite the annoyance he showed in his article and around his friends.

It wasn’t until Sam had talked to him after school one day, cornering him in his bedroom, but he decided that it was safe and necessary for him to leave Cas a gift.

So he did.

It was simple: Dean knew the combination of Cas’s locker, and he put a nice little gift there.  It was nothing crazy, just a mix CD that Dean created for Cas – something he probably would have given the guy anyway, but worked out perfectly for the situation.

Dean left a note with the CD – just a simple one that said:

_Happy Valentine’s Day, Cas.  I hope this shows you how special you are, and I hope you enjoy it. ~anon_

The table was buzzing at lunch, especially when Cas came in with his CD in hand, shell-shocked at the note.  Dean side-eyed Cas knowingly, ignoring Sam’s smug face across the table.

It wasn’t until Pam had snatched the CD and note out of Cas’s hand that it became public discussion.

“Oh my God, Cas!” she squealed, reading the note aloud for everyone to hear.  “That’s so sweet!  Who do you think it is?”

Cas shrugged, embarrassed that everyone was now discussing his anonymous admirer.  “Notice how they typed it out,” Charlie commented.  “They obviously didn’t want you to recognize their handwriting.”

“Oh, that means it’s probably someone you know!” Pam said, eyes searching the cafeteria.  “I wonder who it could be…”

Cas looked down at his hands, not seeming excited about the gift at all.  “Probably just a prank, Pam,” he finally said, taking the CD back from her.  “Somebody just trying to mess with me, that’s all.”

A blanket of quiet fell across the table, no one really knowing what to say in response to Cas’s opinion.  Finally Sam spoke.

“I don’t think it’s a joke,” he said seriously, glancing at Dean.  “I don’t see any reason why you wouldn’t have a secret admirer, Cas.  You’re great.”

Cas looked over at Sam, smiling softly.  “Thanks, Sam.  But I’m still not convinced.”

He stood and left the cafeteria, table quiet at his absence.  Dean didn’t eat much of his lunch, wondering what he could do to help Cas realize that it wasn’t a joke.

 

* * *

  

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, February 9, 2018**

Bi-Line 

_Hey Cas –_

_Your gift wasn’t a joke._

 

* * *

 

The simplicity and straightforwardness of the column just a few days after getting his anonymous gift had Cas frozen in shock when he read it.  He was sitting in the newspaper room first thing in the morning, having grabbed a copy of the latest edition to peruse and double check while others on the team were dropping them off at various locations in the school.

Cas couldn’t stop staring at the words.

The anonymous writer was speaking directly to him.  That meant that he knew Cas.

Cas couldn’t wrap his head around it – it was so easy to feel slightly separated from the person, because they’d always been anonymous.  It hadn’t really occurred to Cas that he might actually _know_ the guy.

Dean came up behind Cas and patted him on the shoulder.  “Cas, you good?”

Cas looked up at him and blinked heavily, holding the paper out for Dean to see.  Dean’s eyes merely glanced at the handful of words before looking back at Cas.

“Told you it wasn’t a joke.”

Cas looked up at his friend and gulped, the weight of the situation bearing down on him.  Someone had actually given him an anonymous Valentine’s Day present, a thoughtful mix CD that he had to admit he was enjoying.

Then Cas realized something.

“It’s someone who sits at our table at lunch,” he said simply, coming to the obvious conclusion.  “They knew I thought it was a joke, which means it has to be someone at our table.”

Cas’s eyes scanned the room, looking at all of his friends.  Dean shifted awkwardly before nodding and stepping away, giving Cas the space he wanted.

Sam, however, had no idea that Cas was going through a mental crisis.

“Heya, Cas,” Sam said happily.  “Told ya it wasn’t a joke.”

Cas turned on Sam, eyes squinting at the younger boy.  “You know who it is,” he said.

Sam glanced around the room, avoiding Dean’s eyes and unsure of what to say.  “I, uh, I…”

Cas sighed.

“It’s okay, Sam, I’m not going to make you tell me,” Cas reassured him.  “Not sure if I even want to know…”

Cas’s eyes found their way to Dean across the room, talking animatedly with Charlie about something on her computer screen.  Sam followed Cas’s line of sight, unsure of what to say.

“I think…I think it would be good to know, Cas.  But I’m not going to be the go-between.”

Cas nodded as Sam got up and left, completely and totally overwhelmed at where his life had gotten to.


	12. The Grove

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas are co-editors of their school newspaper their senior year. When Dean begins an anonymous column in the paper, Bi-Line, discussing his life as a bisexual teen, will Cas figure out it’s him? Will he come out to his friends and family? When his feelings about Cas change, will he be brave enough to show Cas the real him?
> 
> author: just-another-busy-fangirl  
> artist: koisocks

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, February 14, 2018**

**VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL EDITION**

Bi-Line 

_Here’s a riddle for a special someone on Valentine’s Day: (Yeah, I know.  I’ve turned into a sucker who is treating this day as something special, but you know what?  Who cares.)_

_Meet me at the place where you used to go when you wanted to be alone, the place that’s secret and away from the world.  7 pm._

 

* * *

 

Cas knew the riddle was for him.  Actually, all of their friends at lunch knew it was for him.  They were hounding him about it, begging him to tell them where he was meeting his secret admirer that evening.

“I’m not even sure if I’m going to go, guys,” Cas finally said, trying his best to avoid answering.  “It could still be a joke.”

“No way,” Charlie immediately replied.  “This guy’s taken two of his columns to specifically talk to _you_ , no way that’s a joke.  And Cas,” she continued with a quieter tone.  “Haven’t you been reading his stuff all year?  This could be the real deal.”

Cas looked down at his newspaper, folded to show the simple instructions from the column.  “I don’t know…” he said, still worried and slightly scared of what could happen.

Dean couldn’t bring himself to do or say anything to help Cas out in the moment, his own stomach turning in knots as well.  He was just as nervous as Cas was, maybe even more so.

His best friend would find out tonight that he liked him.

Or worse, his best friend would blow him off.

The day went excruciatingly slowly, couples all over the school giving each other presents and cheesy kisses in the hallway.  Finally the bell rang and Dean, Cas, and Sam walked home.  Sam gave Cas a clap on the back when he turned up his sidewalk and Dean threw him a simple, “See ya, Cas,” nervous that if he said anything else he’d explode.

Sam and Dean were silent the rest of the way home, but the silence was comforting.  Sam knew that Dean needed to prepare himself mentally for the evening and didn’t even try to talk to him, lest Dean just snap at Sam to be quiet.

When 6:30 rolled around, Dean shrugged his coat on, heading for the front door.  Before he could get outside, his brother’s voice rang after him.

“Good luck, Dean,” Sam said seriously with a small smile.  “I hope it works out.”

Dean turned to give Sam a tight-lipped smile back, nodding.  “Thanks, Sammy,” he replied simply before going outside.  

Dean walked down the street, heading for the small park near their house, about halfway between the Winchesters’ and the Novaks’.  It was a normal community park except that there was a small grove of trees in the middle, pretty thick with foliage and difficult to walk through.

That’s exactly why Cas had liked it so much as a kid – he’d found an easy way to get inside of the grove and had found a small clearing with a tree trunk that “fit his back perfectly.”  Dean knew Cas would know exactly where to go, so he headed that way.

Dean had quite a few stickerburrs on his jacket by the time he got to the tree, but he still had ten minutes to spare.  He sat against Cas’s tree trunk, heart hammering with nerves as he picked off the prickly plants.

What would he say to Cas?  How could he explain himself?  Would Cas believe him?

Five minutes to go.

Every noise in the evening air made Dean’s head turn, sure that it was Cas coming through the trees.

Two minutes.

Maybe Cas wouldn’t come, like he said at lunch.  Maybe he didn’t believe the articles, maybe he still doubted that anyone actually liked him.

Time’s up.

Dean sat there, staring at the time on his phone, feeling his heart sink.  If Cas didn’t come meet him tonight, he had no idea if he’d be able to gather his wits to talk to him any other time.  This was his plan, and the plan may have failed.

7:05 and Dean was still sitting there, stomach knotting.

Then he heard a curse through the trees.

“Damn tree, let me go!”

Dean stood, eyes aimed toward where Cas would be coming through the trees.  He listened to the footsteps, his breathing speeding up as nerves overtook him once more.

Finally Cas stepped into the small clearing, looking down at his jacket where it had ripped a bit on the trees.

“Dangit,” Cas muttered, brushing himself off.

That’s when he looked up and met Dean’s eyes.

“Dean?”

Silence rang through the air as Dean’s throat clogged up, rendering him unable to respond.

“Dean, what are you doing here?” Cas asked, taking a few steps toward his friend.

 _Of course,_ Dean thought.   _He doesn’t think it’s me, he thinks I’m crashing_.

“I, uh.  I asked you to meet me here, Cas,” Dean said, hoping that Cas would realize that he was the author.

Cas looked at him with widening eyes, realizing what was happening.  “You mean, you-you’re the anonymous writer?”

Dean rubbed the hair at the back of his neck, nodding.  “Yeah.”

Cas let out a long breath, mind whirring at the new knowledge.  “This whole time, it’s been you?  You’re the one who’s been writing _Bi-Line_ all year, you’re bisexual?”

Dean nodded, not sure how this conversation was going to end up.  “Yeah, Cas.  It’s been me the whole time.  I’m bisexual.  I like guys and girls.  I like…”  Dean gulped before he continued.  “I like _you_ , Cas.”

Dean had never felt so vulnerable in his entire life, standing there waiting for Cas to respond.  He watched a hundred different emotions flit across his best friend’s face, wishing that he would just say something.  Dean’s stomach was in knots and he felt like he’d throw up at any minute.

“Dean, I-“ Cas started, but he quickly shut his mouth.  Another beat of silence.  “I don’t know what to say.”

Dean stepped toward Cas, but his friend stepped back.  Dean froze, feeling the rejection seep down deep into his body.  He took the step back again, eyes falling to the ground.

“’s okay, Cas, I get it,” Dean said sadly, pulling his jacket tighter around his body in a move of protection.  “I’ll just go.”

Dean turned to leave the clearing, but Cas’s voice stopped him.  “Dean, wait.”

Dean froze, trying to quell the hope in his chest.  Cas spoke, even though Dean didn’t turn to face him.  “Just…give me some time, okay?  This is, this is just a lot.”

Dean nodded, glad that Cas wasn’t completely rejecting him, but still sad that things were going this way.  “Of course, Cas.  Take all the time you need,” Dean turned to look at Cas. “I’ll be here.”

With that, Dean headed through the trees, away from Cas.  He didn’t go home, instead wandering the neighborhood until he was sure that Sam would be in bed.  Dean couldn’t imagine talking to anyone about Cas, or anything else, tonight.

 

* * *

 

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, February 23, 2018**

Bi-Line 

_Anyone else out there having post-Valentine’s day blues?  I sure am._

_Here’s my dilemma now:_

_How do you tell someone that you’re actually, really, completely serious about them, no jokes anywhere near your intentions… How do you tell someone that they’re it ?_

_Well, now that I’ve posed that question to you, dear readers, I guess he knows it, too._

 

* * *

 

It had been a week and a half since the night that Cas and Dean talked in the grove of trees, the night that Dean had confessed that he actually liked Cas as more than a friend.

It had been a week and a half since Cas had spoken to Dean.

It was just like it had been during their separation after the Lisa drama all over again – Cas was avoiding Dean like the plague and Dean had no idea what to do.

Dean drew in on himself, not speaking to many people and avoiding their lunch table.  He dove into his studies, actually getting really high grades on his own because of the time he spent working.

Sam confronted him about the article, though, not letting Dean off the hook.

“What the hell is going on with you and Cas?” Sam demanded, running to catch up with Dean as he walked home from school one day.

“Language, Sammy,” was all Dean said in reply, not slowing down to wait for his brother.

Sam grabbed Dean’s shoulder and turned him around, looking him in the eye.  “Seriously, Dean.  What happened?  You came back late that night, I thought things went well…”

Dean looked away from his brother, ashamed and embarrassed.  “Cas…he didn’t expect me.  He was surprised, thought I was crashing instead of being the one who invited him.”

Sam looked sympathetic, so Dean kept talking.

“He asked for time, so I’m giving him time.  And space.  And just generally leaving him alone, until he comes and tells me what he wants.”

Dean finally looked at his brother.  “I just want him to be happy, so I’m doing as he says.”

Sam’s face softened, feeling for his brother.  “Sorry, man,” he said, the two of them turning together to walk slowly back home.  “He’ll come around, I’m sure of it.  He’s crazy about you, he just doesn’t know it yet.”

Dean scoffed, not believing his brother for a second.  “Yeah, whatever, Sam.”

They walked the rest of the way home in silence.

 

* * *

 

Dean had all but given up, resigned himself to losing Cas forever after his confession.  It was a Saturday, and he’d spent the entire day trudging around his house, moving from his bed to the couch to the kitchen, and nowhere else.  He was miserable, and Sam could see it plain as day.  Even Mary and John noticed, but they had no idea why or what to do about it.

After dinner, Dean settled himself on the couch to watch a movie, or at least put on a movie and pretend to watch.  He was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell, his mom yelling for him to get it.

Dean groaned but stood, threading his fingers through his hair as he walked to the front door.  He opened it without looking through the window to see who was there, shocked when he saw Cas standing in front of him.

Dean didn’t have anything to say, mouth merely hanging open in shock at seeing his best friend (ex-best friend?) standing on his doorstep.  Before Dean’s brain could catch up with his thoughts, Cas was speaking.

“Dean, I’m so sorry for how I’ve treated you the past couple weeks, really this entire year.  Something has been going on between us, I mean, you’ve obviously been going through this whole self-identity crisis and haven’t talked to me about it, but I’ve been doing the same thing with you and you have no idea what’s been going on in my head, and instead of just talking it out like we always used to, we’ve both been holding it all in, which has just been causing this huge rift between us and I’m tired of it and I’m sorry and I’ve just been so scared because I realized that I really really really like you and I can’t lose you, Dean.”

Cas stopped speaking, mainly because he had run out of breath after his long run-on sentence of a speech and he was panting.  Dean’s eyes were as wide as saucers, trying to follow all of Cas’s words but his brain taking a minute to catch up.

When he finally figured out what Cas had said and realized he was waiting for Dean to respond, there was only one thing Dean could think of to do.

He stepped toward Cas in one swift movement, grabbing his face in his hands and kissing him sound on the lips.


	13. Dating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas are co-editors of their school newspaper their senior year. When Dean begins an anonymous column in the paper, Bi-Line, discussing his life as a bisexual teen, will Cas figure out it’s him? Will he come out to his friends and family? When his feelings about Cas change, will he be brave enough to show Cas the real him?
> 
> author: just-another-busy-fangirl  
> artist: koisocks

It was with shared smiles and fingers brushing that Dean and Cas made it inside the house eventually, sitting on the couch where Dean had been sulking before he answered the door.  His attitude had completely turned around with Cas’s confession, giddiness filling his every bone.

They leaned into the couch cushions, minds not paying any attention to the movie Dean had chosen earlier, instead concentrating on their entwined fingers and stolen kisses.  Dean couldn’t wipe the smile from his face no matter how hard he tried.

When the movie ended, Mary walked through the living room, making both boys sit rigidly, hands on their own laps.

“Cas!  I didn’t know you were here,” she said happily.  “We’ve missed you lately.”

Cas smiled up at Mary, nodding.  “It’s been awhile, sorry, Mrs. W.  Won’t happen again, I’m sure.”  He looked at Dean as he said the second part of his statement, hope in his eyes.  Dean nodded back, smiling.

Dean’d never be letting Cas go, if he had anything to do with it.

Mary chuckled at Cas’s response before moving along to the kitchen.  Dean watched her go before turning back to Cas.

“We really did miss you, Cas…I missed you a lot,” he said, grabbing Cas’s hand again.

“I know, this whole year has just been…” Cas tried to respond, but the words couldn’t really form.  Dean just nodded, understanding what Cas was trying to say.  It _had_ been quite the year.

“So, not to be a Debbie Downer,” Dean changed the subject, looking down at their joined hands.  “We both split like the wrong end of a magnet when she walked in.  Does that mean something?”

Cas sighed, understanding what Dean was worried about.  “No,” he finally said, shaking his head.  “I don’t think so.  I just, I’m not ready for people to know, you know?  Sure, there have always been rumors about me…but I’m not ready to come out.”

Dean nodded, the horror of coming out to the world all too real to him – it was literally the reason why he started his column in the newspaper.  “Yeah, I agree.  We’ll just keep this to ourselves until we’re ready, yeah?”

Cas smiled, glad that Dean understood.  “Yeah,” he breathed back before leaning in and capturing Dean’s lips in a kiss.  It was with stolen kisses and held hands that they spent the rest of the night before Cas went back home, emotionally exhausted from the overwhelmingly wonderful evening.

Cas came back over the following day and they did homework together, the same as they’d always done before.  It was strange, really, how easily they fell back into their routines that they’d had for years and years…only now they kissed with every completed task or memorized concept, instead of their previous celebrations of high fives or grins.

School on Monday was also back to normal, Dean and Cas texting throughout the day and sending each other flirty smiles in the halls, walking home together with hands brushing between them.  Everything was amazing, their friendship back to what it was before and so much more, now that they didn’t have feelings to hide from each other.

 

* * *

 

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, March 2, 2018**

Bi-Line 

_Do you ever feel so happy and excited that you just want to jump out of your skin and shout to the world all of your incredible news?_

_Well, besides the jumping out of your skin part (that’s actually a horrible visualization now that I think about it, sorry), that’s about how I’m feeling now._

_It’s so hard to keep a relationship secret.  Every time you see that person, you just want to kiss them or hug them or at least hold their hand, but then you remember that it’s too soon, you need to wait.  And then you find out that keeping it a secret is actually kind of fun ._

_So, as you can tell, yours truly has a new man.  And it’s magical._

_But sorry, we’re keeping it a secret.  That’s all I’m going to say about that._

 

* * *

 

Dean smiled to himself as he watched Cas read his column out of the corner of his eye at the lunch table, a blush falling onto Cas’s cheeks.  He was so cute when he blushed, and Dean took it upon himself to slip his hand under the table, resting it on Cas’s leg.

The brunette blushed even deeper, turning the page of the paper to hide his face from the rest of their friends.  He turned toward Dean just enough that they could meet eyes, Cas throwing him an ever-so-tiny kiss, just a purse of his lips in Dean’s direction.

Dean grinned before catching himself, stuffing his mouth with his sandwich so no one would notice their private interaction.  He squeezed Cas’s leg, keeping his hand planted firmly on Cas’s knee during the remainder of lunch.

It was the best.

When the school day ended, Dean and Cas found themselves attacked from behind as they walked home from school, Sam’s arms thrown around each of them.

“How could you not tell me?” Sam whisper-yelled, looking between the two of them.

“Tell you what, Sam?” Cas asked innocently, unsure of what Sam was thinking.

“Dude,” Sam replied.  “I’ve been rooting for the two of you for months now, and you keep it a secret from me?”  He emphasized his annoyance by shoving Dean off the sidewalk and into the grass, earning a shove back from his brother.

“Sam,” Dean started, his voice deep and warning.

Sam sighed, looking at Cas.  “Cas, I know that Dean writes the column.  I figured it out a long time ago.  And I know that he’s crazy about you, has been for forever.  I’m just really happy for you guys, and I promise to keep your secret.”

They had stopped walking for Sam to make his speech, his dangly freshman body squirming as he waited for Cas to respond.  Cas looked from Dean to Sam and back, seeing that Dean was ashamed that he forgot to tell Cas that Sam would figure it out.  Seeing the sincerity on Sam’s face, however, calmed Cas.

“Okay, Sam.  Thank you,” Cas said, turning to continue their walk.  The brothers looked at one another, slight confusion on their face at Cas’s simple response.

They shrugged, jogging to catch up with Cas.  “Sorry I attacked you,” Sam said, but Cas waved his hand in dismissal.

“No big deal, Sam.  Just surprised me, is all,” Cas responded, making both Winchesters relieved that he wasn’t mad.  The three of them walked all the way back to Dean and Sam’s house, talking about school and the paper as if the confrontation had never happened.

The only other thing Sam said to them before he disappeared into his room was, “Just - no kissing in front of me, ‘kay?”

He was gone before Dean could smack him for it, but Cas just laughed.

 

* * *

 

Dean caught up to Cas in between the last two periods of the day the following Friday, almost two weeks after Cas had shown up on Dean’s doorstep.  As casually as he could, Dean leaned against the locker next to Cas’s, smiling cheekily at his secret boyfriend.

“Dean…” Cas acknowledged, wondering what Dean was up to with how strangely he was acting.

“Hey, Cas, I got a question for you.”

Cas finished putting his books in his locker before closing it, turning to face Dean completely.  “Yes?”

Dean grinned, sliding his hair up and down the back of his neck in nervousness.  “Want to go on a date with me tonight?”

Cas laughed, slapping Dean’s arm.  “Of course, dummy.  No need to ask,” he leaned in close to whisper, “I am your boyfriend, after all.”

Dean grinned, really wanting to lean in and kiss Cas right then and there, but stopping himself since they were in the middle of the hallway.  “Okay.  I won’t be walking home with you after school, things to get ready!  I’ll pick you up at 6 – no need to dress up.”

With that, Dean spun around and walked off, leaving Cas smiling in the middle of the hallway and nearly forgetting to go to his study hall.

When the bell for the end of the day rang, Dean practically ran home.  He worked on the date preparations for an hour straight, not answering his mom when she asked him what he was doing.  She rolled her eyes at his enthusiasm but let him be, Dean finishing up just in time to go change clothes and get himself ready.

He was out the door and walking to Cas’s house in time to make it there by six, and didn’t have to knock before the front door opened and Cas came out on the porch.

“Hey!” Dean said.  “I’m supposed to come to your door, tell you how handsome you look, and be super awkward with your family when we go on our first official date!”

Cas laughed, making sure the door was shut behind him before leaning forward and kissing Dean quickly on the lips.  “Sorry I ruined your plans, but I wanted to get on with our first date as quickly as possible.  Besides, you could never be awkward with my family, they love you.”

Dean accepted Cas’s excuse, grinning and having to hold himself back from grabbing Cas’s hand as they walked down the street.  They chatted as they walked, talking about school and the paper, same as always.  It really was amazing how little had changed between them as they transitioned from friends to boyfriends, and they loved the lack of awkwardness.

Cas soon figured out that Dean was taking him to the grove of trees in the park where Dean had admitted that he liked Cas.  He nudged Dean’s arm when he realized it, sending a meaningful look over to the green-eyed boy.  Dean just shrugged, letting Cas see his inner romantic.

They made their way through the trees until they came to Cas’s small clearing where Dean had set up a picnic dinner.  There were sandwiches of all different kinds, their favorite snacks, and some grapes.  Dean had snatched a couple beers from his dad’s stash, just to feel grown up, but also had water.

Now that they were out of sight of any prying eyes, Cas grabbed Dean’s face and gave him a proper kiss, mumbling, “This is perfect,” against his lips as he pulled away.  Dean just grinned, glad that Cas already approved of their first official date.

They sat and ate, being completely corny and feeding each other grapes, laughing when the bushel hit Dean in the eye, which then led to a grape throwing war.  When the food was gone, Dean surprised Cas by pulling out his tablet, loaded with one of Cas’s favorite movies.  They snuggled up together, back against the tree, watching the movie and stealing as many kisses as they wanted, there in the grove all alone.

When Dean walked Cas back home, insisting that he would go back to clean everything up without Cas’s help later, they both agreed that it was the best date they’d ever been on.

 

* * *

 

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, March 9, 2018**

Bi-Line 

_So it’s interesting, really.  Dating._

_There’s usually all of this stigma when you’re dating someone.  Boy asks girl, boy pays for girl, boy drives girl, etc.  That doesn’t exactly work out when you’re both boys._

_(Don’t even get me started on the “Which one of you is the girl?” question…)_

_It’s actually quite nice, because we get to do things for each other as we want, no expectations or standards set in place.  Not that I minded being the “guy” in the relationship when I’ve dated girls, but being a little more open about things is great._

 

* * *

 

The semester continued, Dean and Cas spending time with each other during and away from school, keeping their relationship to themselves and enjoying it just as much as in the beginning.  Each time Dean saw Cas, his stomach did a little flip, each time Cas caught Dean smiling at him his heart beat a little faster.

They were quite proud of themselves, really, being able to keep it all from their friends.  Most of them, the girls anyway, were pretty observant people, but they hadn’t seemed to notice the shift in relationship between the two of them.

Spring break came around, a week off from class and newspaper, and Pam had everyone over for a movie again.  No one noticed that Dean and Cas sat closer together on the loveseat than they ever had before.  No one noticed that maybe their hands were smushed between them, hidden by their legs so no one could see their entwined fingers.

No one seemed to care that they left a little earlier than everyone else, eager to walk home together and make out a bit before saying their goodnights.

 


	14. Springtime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas are co-editors of their school newspaper their senior year. When Dean begins an anonymous column in the paper, Bi-Line, discussing his life as a bisexual teen, will Cas figure out it’s him? Will he come out to his friends and family? When his feelings about Cas change, will he be brave enough to show Cas the real him?
> 
> author: just-another-busy-fangirl  
> artist: koisocks

It was the end of spring break when Dean and Cas had their first big scare.  Mary and John had taken Sam to their Uncle Bobby’s salvage yard, looking for a car to fix up for Sam to learn to drive on.  Uncle Bobby had done the same for Dean when he was a freshman, and now it was Sam’s turn.

Naturally, Dean invited Cas over since he had the house to himself, and they found themselves occupied on the couch, ignoring a movie as they made out like the teenage boys they were.

Neither of them heard the car doors outside as the rest of the Winchesters arrived home.  Neither of them noticed the front door opening, announcing people coming into the house.

Both of them _did_ hear Mary’s gasp of surprise at seeing Dean half-way laying on Cas on the couch, Cas’s hands underneath the hem of Dean’s shirt as they were occupied in their lip lock.

Dean had never moved so fast, pushing off of Cas and upright, so that he was standing at the foot of the couch.  He locked eyes with John, afraid of what his father would say.  In a movement of support, Sam walked around the back of the couch, squeezing both of Cas’s shoulders once he had sat up.

“Hey, guys, I found a great car at Uncle Bobby’s,” Sam said in a voice that was normal as ever.  “Can’t wait for you to see it.”  Dean gulped, not seeing the meaningful look Sam sent to his parents, showing them with that one look that he knew about Dean and Cas already and he was supportive of it, whether they were or not.

Sam left the room then, a blanket of uneasiness falling over everyone.

Finally Mary’s hands left her mouth, letting an awkward laugh fall from her lips.  “Well, that’s not something I expected to see, was it John?”

Mary turned toward her husband, smiling.  His eyes moved to her as well, the two of them having a silent conversation of sorts.

“Mom, Dad-“ Dean began, hoping that he could think of something, anything to say that would make the situation a little easier.

Cas interrupted him.  “I’ll be going now.  See you, Dean.”

Cas stood quickly, walking toward the front door and consequently on a path that took him right by John.

John’s hand stopped Cas before he could pass.  “Son, wait.”

Cas looked up at John, shocked by what he had been called.  John sighed, looking from Cas back to Dean.  “You don’t have to go on our account.”

“Dad?” Dean asked, hoping for clarification.

Mary walked over to Dean, grabbing his shoulders to look him straight in the eye.  “If you’re happy, we’re happy,” she said with as much love in her voice as she could.  Keeping her hands on Dean’s shoulders, she turned to speak to Cas, too.  “Both of you.”

Cas would deny it later, but tears welled up in his eyes, not having ever expected in a million years to be accepted by adults for who he was or how he felt, and John’s hand on his arm moved to grip Cas in a sideways hug.

“So long as you boys do right by each other, just ignore us and get back to your…uh…movie,” John said awkwardly, earning a laugh from Mary.  Shooting Dean one more encouraging smile, she turned back to John, grabbing his arm and leading him from the room.

Dean and Cas stood there for a few moments, staring at each other in disbelief at what had just happened.  Finally the weight of it all hit them, and they met in the middle for a kiss, arms wrapped around each other in happiness.

As time went by, especially having the safe haven of the Winchesters’ house where they didn’t have to hide anything, Dean and Cas got more and more used to touching.  Whether it was holding hands, cuddling on the couch, or stealing kisses, it was becoming more frequent and intense with each gesture.

One such make-out session in Dean’s room led to a conversation that Dean hadn’t been expecting.

He was experimenting with kissing Cas’s neck and ear, determining exactly which places made his boyfriend shiver in pleasure, when Cas suddenly blurted out…

“I’m gay.”

Dean froze, lips still touching the tender skin just below Cas’s ear, before pulling away, looking Cas in the eyes.  “Oh…kay?” he said as a question, not sure why Cas had said that, or chosen that particular moment to say it.

Cas pulled away, out of the circle of Dean’s arms to sit up cross-legged on Dean’s bed.  Dean mirrored his posture immediately, knowing that Cas was about to go into a whole conversation and Dean wanted to be fully concentrated for him.

“I mean, I guess I’d never said it out loud before.  And, I guess, I know you’re bisexual, but I hadn’t really said, or figured out even, what I am, you know?”  Cas was wringing his hands together in nervousness, biting his chapped lips when he finished speaking.

Dean’s hands immediately covered Cas’s and he smiled.  “Well then, I’m proud of you for coming out, babe.”

Cas smiled, blushing at the term of endearment.  He looked down at their hands tangled together, continuing.  “I just, I wanted to see how it sounded.  How it felt.”  Dean nodded, which Cas saw out of his peripheral vision.  “I’m gay.  I’m gay and you’re my boyfriend and it’s one of the best things in the world.”

Dean’s heart was hammering in his chest at Cas’s words, knowing that it was everything he had wanted to hear for the longest time, much longer than he realized.  “I’m bisexual,” he said, catching Cas’s eyes, “and you’re my boyfriend, and I love you.”

Cas’s breath caught in his throat at Dean’s additional confession before he launched himself back to Dean, kissing him swiftly and whispering against Dean’s lips, “I love you, too.”

The high of their confessions to each other kept them going for weeks, finding little ways to tell and show each other their feelings in simple, everyday ways.  It was a tiny heart drawn on the corner of Cas’s notebook, or a wink from across the room.

They were so caught up in themselves and each other that neither of them had a second thought of giving kisses as study incentives one afternoon in Cas’s room at his house.

“Got one more page written for English,” Dean announced from where he was propped on Cas’s bed, looking expectantly at his boyfriend.  Cas turned in his desk chair, leaning back so that he could give Dean his earned kiss.

“Oh my God,” they heard from the hallway, Cas’s chair immediately slamming back down on all fours as the two of them turned to see Gabriel standing in the door.

“Gabe-“ Cas started, getting up and chasing his brother down the hallway.  Dean was left in Cas’s room for long enough that he began packing his bag, thinking that it might be a good idea to head home and save Cas some grief.

He’d almost gotten all of his things together when Cas finally came back in the room, heading straight for his bed and falling onto it, face first in a bellyflop.

“Babe?” Dean asked, a hand rubbing Cas’s back supportively.

“It’s okay,” Cas mumbled into his comforter, making Dean sigh in relief.  “Just surprised.  He’s not going to tell Mom and Dad.”

Dean nodded even though Cas couldn’t see him, knowing that Cas was especially worried about his parents finding out about them, about Cas being gay.  He rubbed Cas’s back for a few more minutes before poking him.

“I know you’re, like, letting the freak out ebb away, but if I don’t remind you of your homework, it’ll be me you’re mad at later…”

Cas laughed into his comforter before pushing himself up, giving Dean a chaste kiss before heading back to his desk.  He picked up his pencil and began to write before realizing that Dean was still sitting there with his backpack on his lap.

“Back to work, Winchester,” Cas threw over his shoulder, making Dean move into action immediately.

Gotta keep the boyfriend happy, you know.

 

* * *

 

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, April 6, 2018**

Bi-Line 

_I feel as though I’ve already addressed a similar subject once or twice or ten times this year, but I’ll say it again…_

_What’s the deal with all these promposals ?  Like, come on, guys.  It’s just a dance._

_Sure, it’s supposed to be the most magical night of your life and blah blah blah, but does the promposal need to be just as elaborate and crazy?  It’s not like you’re asking someone to marry you!_

_You might be thinking, oh – he was all complaining about this back at homecoming because he didn’t have a sure-fire date, that’s probably what’s going on now….NO.  I have a boyfriend.  I’m not secretly stressing about asking someone over the top to make sure they don’t say no…_

_I’m just bringing it to your attention once more that this whole thing is craziness!_

_That’s all._

 

* * *

 

It was the season of wild and crazy promposals again, something that in the past had entertained Dean quite a bit, being able to watch the seniors fall all over each other trying to out-do the last person.

This year, however, it was just plain annoying.

The first issue that had Dean stressing was that he wasn’t even sure if he and Cas were going to prom.  They were still keeping their relationship under wraps – the only people who knew were Sam, Dean’s parents, and Gabe.  Cas had only just officially put a label on himself as gay, had only really been living with that decision for a few weeks.

How selfish would it be for Dean to out them just so that they could go to prom together?

They could totally just go as a group, maybe invite some of their underclassman friends so that everyone could go together and have fun…with Dean and Cas holding hands in the back throughout the night…

No, Dean didn’t want to do that, either.  This whole prom thing had him seriously stressing.

Cas noticed Dean’s tense attitude and settled on a plan.  He sent a simple text to Dean during the last period of the day, just saying – _Meet me at the grove at 4._

Dean had no idea why Cas wasn’t going to walk there with him, but when the bell rang he headed toward the park.

When finally Dean got to their grove, he found Cas standing with his back against the big tree.  “You’re stressed, Dean,” Cas said simply, beginning to walk over to Dean, who shrugged in response.

Before Dean could say anything, Cas pulled a sign out from behind his back.  It read,

_WOOD you beLEAF me if I asked you to Prom?_

Cas had decorated the simple sign with leaves and a few flowers he’d found in their grove, making the sign personally for Dean.  A huge grin landed on Dean’s face, all of the stress of prom leaving his body as Cas took the pressure off with one swoop of his arm.

Dean closed the distance between them, moving the sign to the side as he wrapped Cas in his arms, kissing him squarely on the mouth.  “Of course I will, Cas,” Dean mumbled against his lips, his enthusiasm making Cas drop the sign and kiss him right back with fervor.

They’d figure out the whole going-to-prom thing in time, but right now Dean’s mind was forever changed about promposals.

He couldn’t help himself when he brought the sign home and hung it in his room, a reminder that he had the best boyfriend he could ever hope for.


	15. Prom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas are co-editors of their school newspaper their senior year. When Dean begins an anonymous column in the paper, Bi-Line, discussing his life as a bisexual teen, will Cas figure out it’s him? Will he come out to his friends and family? When his feelings about Cas change, will he be brave enough to show Cas the real him?
> 
> author: just-another-busy-fangirl  
> artist: koisocks

Cas’s promposal, while alleviating some of Dean’s nerves, brought the two of them to a very important conversation a few nights later.  They were sitting on the couch at Dean’s house, holding hands and watching a movie.  Cas’s head was resting on Dean’s shoulder and Dean was drawing circles on the back of Cas’s arm.

“So are we actually going to prom?” Dean finally asked, after the question had rolled around in his head for thirty minutes.

Cas sat up, moving away from Dean so that he could look at him while they talked.  “That was kind of the idea,” Cas answered, unsure of what Dean was thinking about.

“I mean,” Dean began to clarify, “are we going to prom together, as a couple, for everyone to see….are we coming out together?”

Cas understood with Dean’s line of questioning what his boyfriend was  _ really _ asking.  Was Cas ready to come out?  Dean had been hinting at being alright with it, but he didn’t want to do anything that would make Cas uncomfortable.  Cas thought he had been pretty clear when he asked Dean, but maybe he wasn’t clear enough.

“Yes, Dean.  When I asked you to prom, I had already made the decision that this is how I want to come out.  We can do it together, we can be united.  It’s prom – everyone will be having a good time, so hopefully the good moods will help people accept us for who we are.”

Dean nodded, thinking through Cas’s words before a grin fell onto his face.  He pulled Cas in for a kiss, even more excited for the night now than he was before.  “I love you, Cas.”

Cas smiled back, repeating the words to Dean.  “Love you, too.”

 

* * *

Dean’s heart was hammering in his chest as he put the finishing touches on his outfit for prom.  He and Cas were dressed in colored jackets instead of penguin suits.  Dean’s was maroon while Cas’s was royal blue, the colors complimenting each other nicely.

Mary knocked on Dean’s door as he was trying to straighten his bow tie, getting more and more frustrated with every adjustment.  “Here, let me,” she said quietly, pulling Dean away from his mirror and straightening the tie for him.

Dean sighed, closing his eyes and letting Mary dote on him.  “Thanks, Mom,” he said quietly, letting Mary pull him into a hug when she finished.

“I’m so proud of you, baby,” she said as they hugged.  “I hope tonight is fun and you treat that boy right.”

He grinned at her as they pulled away, nodding.  “Of course, Mom.”

That was the moment that the doorbell rang, Dean’s eyes drawn to the hallway.  He heard Sam open the door, greeting Cas with a whistle.  Mary patted Dean on the back as he headed to the stairs, eager to see Cas, as always.

“Dang, Cas, looking good,” Sam was saying as Dean came down the stairs, eyes meeting Cas’s once he was in view.

“Paws off, Sammy,” Dean retorted, reaching out and pulling Cas in for a kiss.  “This one’s mine,” Dean continued once they broke apart, making Sam laugh and head off to his room.

“Pictures!” Mary said from behind them, and Dean and Cas turned to see her with her camera, waiting for them to pose.  She motioned for them to stand by the fireplace, snapping away before she told them to go to the backyard, wanting to get some  _ natural _ shots.  She had planted flowers earlier in the month specifically to set a beautiful background for their prom pictures, something Dean had rolled his eyes at but knew he would appreciate later on.

Dean and Cas laughed as they posed, John coming out soon enough to watch his wife dote over the boys.  “Mary, if you keep taking pictures they’re going to miss the whole prom!” he finally said, saving the boys from more posing.  Realizing that she had gotten carried away, Mary blushed, letting John guide her back into the house, boys close behind.

“You two have fun and be safe, now,” John said to Dean as they headed for the front door. 

“Yessir,” Dean replied, Cas nodding in agreement.  With one last look at each other they headed out the door, getting into the Impala to go to dinner.

Their friends, while not all of them were going to the actual dance, had decided to go to dinner before together, to celebrate the end of the year.  Dean drove to the restaurant, hand holding Cas’s tightly the entire way there. 

When they finally parked, Dean looked to Cas.  “Ready?” he asked, hoping Cas was just as nervous as he was but also wanting to stand strong with his boyfriend.

Cas nodded, gulping visibly.  Dean reached across the front seat to put a hand on Cas’s cheek, hoping it was a comforting gesture.  “We’re doing this together, it’s gonna be great,” Dean said reassuringly, the words comforting himself as well as Cas.

Finally Cas smiled, nodding and pulling Dean in for a kiss.  “Let’s do this.”

They got out of the car, meeting around the back to clasp their hands together.  It should be pretty obvious from the moment they walk in the door that they were together, with the matching outfits and entwined fingers.  They headed inside, letting the hostess know that they were there for the prom group dinner.  She smiled, eyes drifting to their joined hands before winking encouragingly and leading them to the table.

They followed the hostess, her positive attitude lifting their spirits and calming Dean’s mind.  He saw their friends come into view, already eating breadsticks and laughing at something.  It was the normal lunch group, plus a few dates, so Dean hoped that this would be an easy first step to the evening – coming out to their friends.

Sam saw them first, having obviously left for the restaurant while they were taking pictures, not too dressed up as he wasn’t going to the actual prom as a freshman.  “Hey guys!” he said happily, drawing eyes to Dean and Cas.  “You look awesome!”

By addressing them together, Sam’s simple comment showed the group a few things: Dean and Cas were there  _ together _ , Sam knew about it, and he was happy for them.  Dean and Cas stood there by the table for a moment, letting everyone see that they were, in fact,  _ together _ .

Pam’s hands were at her mouth in shock, but she quickly brought them down to show a huge smile.  “OH MY GOD YOU’RE PERFECT!” she yelled, hopping out of her chair and running around the table to gather Dean and Cas in a hug. 

Pam’s positive reaction broke the ice, others at the table saying things like, “Shoulda known,” or “Finally,” – Garth even took out a twenty dollar bill and gave it to Charlie.

Dean nudged Garth’s shoulder as he saw the exchange and Garth just shrugged.  “So we had a wager going, sorry ‘bout it…”

Dean laughed, making Cas laugh as well, and soon enough they were sitting and ordering their food.  The dynamic at the table was identical to the lunch table, everyone talking and happy and enjoying each other’s company.

Halfway through the meal, Dean leaned over to Cas.  “I think we were stressed about nothing,” he whispered, and Cas nodded.

“I think you’re right,” Cas responded, leaning back to look into Dean’s eyes.  “I love you,” he said, Dean repeating the words immediately before drawing Cas in for a kiss.

A flash of light startled them and they broke apart, seeing Pam with her camera in front of her face.  Dean and Cas blushed as Benny wolf-whistled at them, Dean throwing a breadstick at Pam for interrupting their moment.

Dean knew there would be plenty more moments for him and Cas, though, and joined in the laughter, his head resting on Cas’s shoulder for a moment before turning back to his food.


	16. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas are co-editors of their school newspaper their senior year. When Dean begins an anonymous column in the paper, Bi-Line, discussing his life as a bisexual teen, will Cas figure out it’s him? Will he come out to his friends and family? When his feelings about Cas change, will he be brave enough to show Cas the real him?
> 
> author: just-another-busy-fangirl  
> artist: koisocks

**LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS, May 4, 2018**

Bi-Line 

_Here’s a picture of me and my wonderfully amazing boyfriend and prom date, Cas Novak._

_No more secrets, no more anonymous Bi-Line.  Dean out._

 


End file.
